But the ninth inning, for once, didn’t involved any stubbed toes or screams of anguish. That included a workmanlike effort in his last start on Friday against St. Louis, in which he allowed two runs in five innings of an 8-2 San Francisco victory.
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Tuesday at Dodger Stadium, they lost shortstop Brandon Crawford to a dislocated finger on his left hand, injured as he was being thrown out at third base in the second inning. Cueto, as solid a No.2 starter as you’ll find on any contending club, looms as a greater concern – especially as the Giants hope to match up against potential playoff opponents.
The San Francisco Giants stayed in a wildcard spot in Major League Baseball, while the Texas Rangers closed in on a division title.
Giants manager Bruce Bochy abandoned the matchup-based staccato that he has employed for most of the season. Three Giants relievers held Los Angeles to one hit the rest of the way, with righty Sergio Romo striking out two in a 1-2-3 ninth to earn his first save.
Health is the most common challenge when a team softly sinks in the standings.
Owners of baseball’s best record before the All-Star break (57-33), the Giants have gone an MLB-worst 22-38 since thanks in large part to struggles in the bullpen and, namely, closer Santiago Casilla. His ideal game went out the window when Eduardo Nunez got a base hit to lead off the first.
Their issues have been manifold, starting with an underperforming offense that can not put away games and a bullpen that has not protected scant leads.
Otherwise Hill was fine, with one walk and seven strikeouts.
Cueto scattered eight hits over five scoreless innings and struck out the first batter he faced in the sixth. Then after batting for himself in the seventh, Okert handled the bottom of the inning.
In the fourth inning, Buster Posey served a single into right field and Hunter Pence followed suit. An X-ray was negative, and the Giants said he is day to day. I do (like that they had fun). Cueto, a reigning World Series Champion with the Royals, outdueled his counterpart as the Giants evened the three-game series at Chavez Ravine. Although Los Angeles will be going to the playoffs this year, Scully says he will not be doing any postseason games. They’ve scored two runs in two games in this series, and this time they got a reprieve when Johnny Cueto started hopping around with a tweaked groin and had to leave with one out in the sixth inning. Josh Reddick reached on an error and Cueto was removed from the contest after walking Andrew Toles, although he was visited on the mound by the team trainer prior to the base on balls. Hill came out after 77 pitches. Cueto was taken out of the.
He and the Giants are fortunate the injury was to his glove hand instead of his throwing hand. “I’m going to sit back, light up and hope I don’t chew the cigarette to pieces”, Scully said of the 1956 World Series, during Don Larsen’s ideal game.
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“He is just a different human being”, Cubs manager Joe Maddon recently said.
