“Heading into the game, I had a lot of confidence in that pitch particularly”, Moore said.
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SCHERZER SHINES: Former Missouri star Max Scherzer delivered one of his finest performances in a Nationals uniform, boosting Washington to a 4-0 win that prevented a four-game Orioles sweep.
“I felt sharp”, Stripling said.
That’s especially true here, and especially now.
In his fifth start as a Giant, Moore showed his value. The Giants know a little something about this.
“Yesterday there were just things that were available to us that aren’t going to be there every night”, Moore said. He was traded over from the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for a package headlined by third baseman, Matt Duffy.
“He had everything working tonight”, Bochy said. “We had to win”. With the way Moore was pitching, a one-run lead was enough.
Joe Panik hit a two-run home run off Stripling in the top of the fourth as San Francisco never relinquished the lead after that. It was a body blow and players readily admitted it. Moore took advantage.
Paul Goldschmidt broke up the no-hit bid by leading off the seventh with a single to right-center field.
Matt Moore #45 of the San Francisco Giants throws a pitch against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on August 25, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. The 23-year-old Wisler (5-11) allowed a run and two hits with four strikeouts and three walks in eight innings. But, he clearly began to labor beyond that, throwing 46 pitches to get beyond the seventh and eighth innings.
But as Bochy paced a trench in the dugout, Moore speared a comebacker from Charlie Culberson and then retired Joc Pederson on a well struck drive at Span.
Moore missed most of the 2014 and 2015 seasons after having Tommy John surgery. His previous career-high was 120.
“Listen”, Bochy told him.
“I haven’t seen a lot of anxious faces”, Moore said of his time with the Giants.
Mark Melancon allowed one hit in the ninth. In his major league debut earlier this year, he held the Giants hitless for 7 1/3 innings in San Francisco, but then manager Dave Roberts relieved him because of a pitch count.
Moore sprinted to the mound at the start of the ninth, waiting for Trevor Brown to jog out and warm him up. “We won the series and lost a game that’s how we look at it”. Pitchers are laboring so much by that point that they are more prone to hurting themselves.
A day later, Moore said his arm was “feeling normal”. “I appreciate the skip taking my word for it there”. Moore’s left fielder was Stephen Vogt, and the opposing pitcher was Jarrod Parker. Moore smiled and waved at Span, yelling, “Atta boy, Denard!”
“Giving up a base hit right there is a part of the game”, Moore said.
The no-hitter survived thanks to a couple of defensive plays. “As soon as I caught that, I thought for sure he would get it”. Moore got right with the pitch count, retiring the side on seven pitches in the fifth and seven more in the sixth.
Seager’s hit sent the sellout crowd of 53,297 into a raucous celebration. Gorkys Hernandez had replaced Hunter Pence, who again has hamstring tightness, and he couldn’t get close enough for a diving effort. “I was making some good pitches”.
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Posey agreed. “It’s one of those that finds some grass”, he said. He said he was happy with the way it all turned out, noting that it’s a team sport and his team needed a win, not a no-hitter.
