Giants Baseball Corner

Let’s Gooooo! The Giants started their final seven games against the Bums with a crucial win, beating the Dodgers in ten innings on a walk-off grand slam by Patrick Bailey!

Brisbee pointed out on Bluesky that Willy Adames has one walk-off homer in his career, while Bailey now has an inside-the-park walk-off and a grand slam walk-off this season.

This was a true pitchers’ duel with added slow-building pressure during the game as the scoreboard informed us the Mets, Reds, Padres, Diamondbacks and Cards all lost!

Yoshinobu Yamamoto slipped up initially, walking Rafael Devers, then giving up a double to Willy Adames on a hanging sinker in the 1st. A fielding error by Pages allowed Devers to cross the plate. But then Yamamoto went into shutdown mode. He did not give up another hit, struck out 10 and allowed just one base on balls. Dominant.

Justin Verlander meanwhile, started brilliantly, holding the vaunted Dodgers offense scoreless for six innings.

He gave up a solo shot to Michael Conforto to start the 7th, but got out of the inning with no further damage. Still, Verlander threw 105 pitches for a no-decision thanks to Conforto suddenly being able to hit a homer at Oracle.

Both ‘pens held. At one point the Bums retired 23 straight. Importantly, Ryan Walker had a scoreless, hitless 9th – that’s how we ended nine innings tied 1 – 1.

It was a shame for lefty Tanner Scott and the Bums that a botched call by home plate umpire Bill Miller turned what ought to have been a strikeout of Jung Hoo Lee in the 10th into a foul tip call. Miller said the ball hit the dirt, but it was clearly caught by catcher Ben Rortvedt. This is non-reviewable.

Still, it was a full count. Scott could have fanned him on the next pitch, but missed, resulting in a walk. It’s a blemish on an otherwise excellent contest. But them’s the breaks.

The Giants are now only half a game back of the Mets for the wildcard. That’s amazing.

With 15 games to play, we are three and a half back of the Pads and seven back of the Bums in the division.

Our chance of making the playoffs has increased to a highest ever 16.6%