Getting no-hit again by Homer Bailey would’ve been preferable, if only because it would’ve brought this whole thing full circle. Instead, it’s just another lousy offensive performance and the strongest wasted start yet from a Giants pitcher in a 4-0 loss to Cincinnati.
The losses are running together. As a result, the Giants are no longer in sole possession of first place. They’ve lost a 9.5-game lead over the last three weeks to the Dodgers, who crushed the Cardinals 6-0 to take three out of four in that series. Meanwhile, the Reds enjoyed their first four-game sweep at AT&T Park. Check that — it was the first time ANY team has swept the Giants in a four-game series at AT&T.
We’ve entered granite ass territory. (#RockBottom)
When they hit semi-decently, the starters have an ERA over 5.50 over a two-week stretch. When they take a leads into the ninth inning, Sergio Romo (no longer the closer, BTW) implodes. But today wasn’t the fault of the starting pitcher, or even the bullpen.
Tim Hudson gave up a hit to lead off the ninth, and was taken out after one of his best outings of the year when the Giants needed it most. The Reds knocked new sometimes-closer Jeremy Affeldt around a little bit to extend the lead, but it didn’t really matter since the Giants were shut out for the sixth time this season and the second time this homestand.
It’s not like the Giants’ once-powerful offense has done much throughout June, but they simply stopped hitting after returning home from Phoenix. Bailey tossed a three-hitter today, and take it from someone who has him on one of his fantasy teams he stopped paying attention to a couple weeks ago — Bailey has not been good this year.
And … I’m late to my wife’s friend’s birthday party, so let’s finish this bad boy up.
Extra BASGs
— Can’t blame Buster Posey. Through the last seven games he’s hitting .391/.440/.609. The rest of the squad over that span: .158/.192/.222.
— Had to love Gregor Blanco getting thrown out at third with Posey at the plate. If you’re going to stink, really let that wound fester.
— The Giants have eight home runs in their last 21 games after hitting 69 in their first 62 games. “Giants baseball … torture” used to refer to how they’d string us along before winning 4-3 in the 12th. Now it’s going through Baseball Reference to see just how badly they’ve been playing since peaking in early June.
— When the Giants are playing great, everything sounds, smells, tastes and looks better. During times like these, people aren’t keen on celebrating the “All-Brandon Weekend” or drinking smoothies in the garden. Luckily, Brandon Belt and Brandon Crawford haven’t been the targets of scorn during this rough stretch, or growth charts would’ve littered the field. But “The Garden” is not exactly an addition Giants fans are in a mood to celebrate these days. Some innocent kumquats might perish if the Giants continue to play this way.
— That awful lady who screamed every time the Reds did anything and tried to start a “BRA-YAN PE-ÑA” chant is probably happy. At Candlestick she would’ve been pelted with peanut shells. I’m not saying that would’ve been OK, but … alright, in this case I’m definitely saying it would’ve been OK. And next time: MOVE THE DAMNED MICROPHONE OR TURN IT OFF, WILL YA?
Thank you, and enjoy the rest of your Sunday.
