SF Giants Press Clips Friday, June 16, 2017

Transcription

1 SF Giants Press Clips Friday, June 16, 2017 San Francisco Chronicle Giants lose 10-9, Posey and Nunez hurt John Shea DENVER You know it s a tough season when a team s best player hurts himself on a home run swing. And the team s hottest hitter aggravates a leg injury on an infield hit. In the same inning. The Giants lost to the Rockies 10-9 Thursday night on Raimel Tapia s walk-off single off Hunter Strickland, so it was all gloom and doom, right? Actually, the clubhouse vibe afterward was somewhat upbeat. Not only did the Giants overcome a 9-1 deficit, but injuries to Buster Posey (left ankle) and Eduardo Nuñez (left hamstring) weren t as serious as they first appeared. It feels a lot better already, Posey said. I m hopeful tomorrow it feels pretty good as well. Posey homered and looked achy running the bases. He immediately headed for the clubhouse, limping badly down the steps from the dugout with serious ankle soreness. 1

2 Moments earlier, Nuñez limped off the field with trainer Dave Groeschner after crossing first base with an infield hit. Nuñez said he initially hurt his hamstring in last weekend s Twins series and has been in treatment. Manager Bruce Bochy said both players might miss just a couple of days. For Posey, that would be great news. I had pain go through my ankle, said the catcher, referring to the same ankle that was surgically repaired in 2011, and the more I was running on it, the worse it was hurting. Once we got it calmed down, it felt good. The trainers think there could have been some scar tissue that pinched in the joint. Asked if he was going back in his mind to 2011, Posey said, No, there was no going back. The Giants seemed destined for another lopsided loss, even after Posey s homer made it 9-3 in the seventh. But they scored five times in the eighth, a rally highlighted by Brandon Crawford s three-run homer the Giants first three-run homer of the season, strangely enough. Gorkys Hernandez, who replaced Nuñez, hit a sacrifice fly in the ninth to tie it 9-9 and hand Greg Holland his first blown save opportunity of the season after 23 straight converted saves. We never gave up, Denard Span said. We stayed in the game and gave us an opportunity to win. We made them earn that. The way the game started off, it seemed that was going to be an easy win for them. Matt Moore coughed up eight runs and 11 hits and was pulled after three innings. Posey made two throwing errors. Hunter Pence misjudged a flyball. With two players getting treated in the trainers room, Austin Slater was forced to play third base for the first time in his pro career and pitchers Ty Blach and Jeff Samardzija were summoned to pinch hit. Blach got a single and scored on Crawford s homer. A smiling Bochy said Blach was told, We just want you to get a base hit. You don t need to hit it out. 2

3 In the ninth, Slater led off with his fourth hit and, one out later, took third on Span s single. Hernandez tried a squeeze bunt, and it went foul. Then a wild pitch sent Span to second, and Hernandez s flyout tied it. Brandon Belt was intentionally walked, and Samardzija pinch hit. When a pitch got away from catcher Tom Murphy, Span tried scoring and was thrown out. Span was denied two RBIs in the second inning when his bases-loaded bloop was caught by Trevor Story with a tremendous dive. That s the story pun intended of how the season has been, Span said. San Francisco Chronicle Giants still waiting for answer on Hunter Strickland John Shea DENVER The Hunter Strickland suspension watch continues. What s the latest? It s a great question, manager Bruce Bochy said Thursday. The Strickland-Bryce Harper brawl was May 29, and suspensions were announced for both the next day. Both appealed. Harper s was quickly heard reduced four games to three and he was done serving his suspension June 3. Strickland s still waiting. The appeal of his six-game suspension was heard Tuesday, and the Giants were led to believe they d have a verdict by Wednesday. Then came Thursday. Still nothing. I m trying to find out myself, Bochy said. I m being honest. I have not heard a word. He added, We d like to know. 3

4 At issue is Bochy s use of the bullpen, especially with the Giants playing a four-game series in Denver, where relievers tend to get worn out fast. Figuring Strickland was about to get suspended, Bochy used him Tuesday and again Wednesday both one-sided losses to the Royals in a mop-up role, mainly to preserve other relievers for the Rockies series. With Strickland still active Thursday, Bochy used him a third straight day. The right-hander gave up the winning run in the bottom of the ninth inning. Bumgarner s plan: Madison Bumgarner will pitch a simulated game before Sunday s series finale, the first time he ll face hitters since he suffered shoulder and rib injuries in a dirt-bike accident April 20. The Giants had hoped for Bumgarner s simulated game to be Friday but couldn t schedule field time because of the Rockies pregame plans. After Sunday s session, the lefty will go to Arizona to resume his rehab, and the next step would be pitching in minor-league games. One of the hitters to face Bumgarner on Sunday will be Jarrett Parker, who s recuperating from a collarbone fracture and could begin his minor-league rehab assignment early next week. John Shea is The San Francisco Chronicle s national baseball writer. On deck Friday at Rockies 5:40 p.m. NBCSBA Samardzija (2-8) vs. Senzatela (8-2) Saturday at Rockies 12:10 p.m. NBCSBA 4

5 Cain (3-5) vs. Freeland (7-4) Sunday vs. Rockies 12:10 p.m. NBCSBA Blach (4-4) vs. vs. Chatwood (6-7) Leading off Relief: The Giants received good news when X-rays of Christian Arroyo s hand were negative. He was hit by a pitch Wednesday while playing for Triple-A Sacramento. San Jose Mercury News Giants lose Posey and Nunez, waste eight-run comeback and fall 16 ½ games behind Rockies in NL West Andrew Baggarly DENVER On a night when the Giants came back from an eight-run deficit only to lose 10-9 to the Colorado Rockies and see their sinkhole widen to 16 ½ games in the NL West, Buster Posey found gratitude in the simplest of acts. He was able to slip into both his tan brogues, lace them up and walk out of the ballpark. For all the countless bruises the Giants have sustained in this lost season, to both their bodies and their egos, they had not experienced anything like the seventh inning Thursday night. Mere moments after Eduardo Nuñez sustained a left hamstring injury on his 30th birthday, Posey hurt himself in the most improbable way: while hitting a home run. Worse yet, the sudden pain he felt while swinging came from his left ankle, which was surgically reconstructed in 2011 following a horrific collision at home plate. Yeah, I was a little confused, said Posey, as he gamely trotted around the bases before nearly collapsing down the dugout stairs. The trainers think it could be some scar tissue I pinched in the joint. It s not very swollen. All in all, I m happy about it, because it was pretty painful. 5

6 Posey might be out a day or two. Same for Nuñez, who has been playing through hamstring discomfort and sacrificed valor for pragmatism after it tightened up as he ran out an infield single. There is physical pain and there is mental anguish. The Giants came back from a 9-1 deficit, they handed Rockies closer Greg Holland his first blown save of the season and got within a glove lace s length of taking the lead only to have Denard Span get thrown out at the plate trying to score on a wild pitch. It would have matched the largest comeback victory in the Giants San Francisco era. Instead, they lost in the bottom of the ninth when Raimel Tapia flared a single off Hunter Strickland. It was a wild end to a game in which the injuries forced Manager Bruce Bochy to move left fielder Austin Slater to third base a position that the rookie has never played in his professional career. Not one but two starting pitchers made pinch hitting appearances: Ty Blach, who singled and scored in the eighth, and Jeff Samardzija, who batted in the ninth. But the Giants spent too much of the evening like the team that stands 16 ½ games out in mid- June. The NL West-leading Rockies boat raced Matt Moore for eight runs in three innings, Hunter Pence misjudged a ball in right field and Posey committed a pair of errors in a game for just the second time in his career. Their deficit is the largest the Giants have faced prior to the All-Star break since 1985, when a 100-loss team featuring Mike Krukow and Duane Kuiper also stood 16 ½ games back. Say this, though: on a day when Bay Area sports fans were looking for fresh sports programming after the Warriors victory parade, the Giants did not play a dull nine innings. You know, I m good with what happened tonight, Bochy said. I know it s a tough loss, but as banged up as we were, they fought back and we were so close to getting the lead. It s a gutty effort. A lot of great things happened. Notably: how they responded after Posey and Nuñez went to the trainer s room in stunning succession. Brandon Crawford hit a three-run home run in the eighth that brought them to the brink of one of their best comebacks in franchise history, and then the Giants tied it in the ninth with a run against Holland, who had been 23 for 23 in save chances, shut the door in the ninth. Unbelievably, Crawford s shot was the first three-run homer by a Giant this season. The club entered the game with 236 at-bats in which two runners were on base, without a long ball. 6

7 Rookie Austin Slater also had a four-hit night from the No.8 spot in the lineup, boosting his average to.405, and his single off Holland started the tying rally in the ninth. Slater went to third on Span s one-out single and scored on a sacrifice fly by Gorkys Hernandez. Span advanced on a wild pitch, stole third base, and nearly scored the go-ahead run when a pitch to Samardzija squirted away from catcher Tom Murphy. But Holland applied the tag in a bang-bang play and replay officials could not determine conclusive evidence to overturn the out call on the field. I hesitated a slight second and that s the difference between safe or out, Span said. That s a spot where we re being aggressive, but initially, I couldn t tell. It seemed like the ball was closer. You need a telescope to make the Giants deficit in the NL West seem closer than it appears. And after Thursday night, they are left them with plenty of roster conundrums. If only the Giants could slink out of Coors Field and head straight to Atlanta. But no, they must play three more games in the warmth and low humidity here, when baseballs might as well have dimples. They ll have to do it with a short bench and a short bullpen, too. Although Strickland s appeal process of his six-game suspension continues to drag out with no explanation, the Giants expect to lose him at some point very soon without the ability to replace him. Then they had to use a whole lot of relief after the Rockies twice batted around against Moore in his three innings. Roster moves almost certainly are afoot. The Giants Triple-A club in Sacramento scratched Joan Gregorio, a right-hander who is having a fine season, moments before their first pitch. Gregorio already is on the 40-man roster and could be on his way. Prior to the game, prominent members of the Giants lineup came to the defense of Hensley Bam Bam Meulens, saying that the club s hitting coach should not take the fall for the major leagues least productive offense. Now then. What about the pitching and defense? Presumably, the blame stays on the field there, too and there was plenty to assign. There was misfortune, too. Moore had a ERA in three previous starts at Coors Field, and so there was no mistaking the omen when Charlie Blackmon led off the first inning with a nubber and ended up on second base when Posey tried an unsuccessful Skee-ball toss to first. The first five Rockies hit safely against Moore, with none of the contact especially hard, in a 7

8 three-run inning. The Rockies scored four more in a second inning that began to unravel with an inexcusable leadoff walk to Blackmon and Pence s misplay in right field. DJ LeMahieu jogged out of the box, so sure he had hit a can of corn, but the ball was carrying and Pence didn t drift back quickly enough as the ball fell for a single. Nolan Arenado followed by pounding a two-run double. Posey also threw a ball into center field a rare, ill-advised decision from the Gold Glove catcher as he tried to nab Raimel Tapia who was advancing on a wild pitch. It was just the second two-error game in Posey s career, and his first since April 8, He committed a total of three behind the plate all last season. Meanwhile, the offense could have used a break while stranding eight runners in the first five innings. Span had the bases loaded and runners moving on contact when he hit a jam shot to shallow right field that somehow ended up in the glove of shortstop Trevor Story. It s the story, pun intended, of how the season has been, Span said. We re not getting breaks. We lost, and we ve been losing, but we re all fighting. We re all battling. There are winners here and we re not giving away at-bats. We made them earn that win. You want it for yourself, but we ve been looking to build on whatever we can. San Jose Mercury News Buster Posey injures himself on a home run swing? Andrew Baggarly DENVER Yes, it absolutely can get worse for the Giants in Mere moments after Eduardo Nuñez sustained a hamstring injury on his 30th birthday, Buster Posey hurt himself in the most improbable way: while hitting a home run. Posey s two-run shot in the seventh inning cut the Giants deficit to 9-3 against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field, leaving him a triple short of the cycle. But he limped badly down the dugout steps in front of stunned teammates and coaches. The Giants later announced that Posey had a sore ankle; it was unclear whether he tweaked it on his swing, or while rounding the bases. The Giants have dealt with constant injuries over the past few years at Coors Field, where the combination of altitude and low humidity can put players at risk of dehydration. 8

9 With Nuñez and Posey out, and Aaron Hill and Kelby Tomlinson already used as pinch hitters, Giants manager Bruce Bochy had to move left fielder Austin Slater to third base a position that the rookie has never played in his professional career. Slater played second base in the minor leagues in Check back for updates on Posey and Nuñez after the game. MLB.com Giants storm back before losing in walk-off Chris Haft and Daniel Kramer DENVER -- Bailing out a beleaguered bullpen, rookie Raimel Tapia propelled the Rockies to a walk-off, 10-9 win over the Giants on Thursday to regain sole possession of first place in the National League West. With two on and one out, Tapia laced an 0-1 curveball into right off Hunter Strickland, andmark Reynolds charged home from second to secure the win, beating a throw from Hunter Pence. Tapia, who began 2017 in an 0-for-15 skid, is now 8-for-his-last-13 and was thesignificant contributing factor in a Rockies win for the second day in a row. Full Game Coverage "I feel really good," Tapia said through an interpreter. "In the moment it's really exciting, but I also feel excited when it's on TV for my family to see it and be proud of me and to be able to see it again is really special." Trailing, 9-1, after six innings, the Giants rallied against a weathered Rockies bullpen, eventually tying the score as they kept Greg Holland from picking up what would've been his MLB-best 24th save. "They did a great job. I'm good with what happened tonight," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. "I made some mistakes, especially with two strikes, that I typically don't make and [the Giants] beat me with them," Holland said. "But they picked me up. The Rockies picked me up today. That's a sign of a good team. It was really cool to get that walk-off atmosphere at home. As much as I hate giving up runs, saving the back and the rest of our bullpen, it was a neat 9

10 scenario." The struggling Giants had reason for concern in the seventh inning when their best offensive contributors -- Eduardo Nunez (left hamstring tightness) and Buster Posey (left ankle inflammation) -- left the game within minutes of each other. Of all oddities the decimated Giants have experienced, Posey injured himself on a two-run homer and Nunez pulled up lame on an infield single. But their injuries were not considered serious and both are expected to miss no more than two games. MOMENTS THAT MATTERED Story's save: With the Rockies saddled in a two-out, bases-loaded jam, Trevor Storysprinted to a snow-cone catch on Denard Span's flare to end the second, saving at least two runs and bailing out starter Jeff Hoffman -- and against the shift, to boot. Hoffman had just issued the first career walk to pitcher Matt Moore, who in turn picked up just his fourth career RBI. Story took a moment to regroup after the hard fall, but it appeared to only have knocked the wind out of him, as he remained in the game until the seventh inning, when he was replaced by Pat Valaika with a six-run lead. Said Span, "I was like, 'You've got to be kidding me.' That's just the story, pun intended, of how the season's been." Bullpen blunders: The Rockies bullpen surrendered eight earned runs in a nine-inning game for the third time this season; only the Twins and Mariners have done so as many times. Holland's saves streak was snapped as the club's second-longest, behind Huston Street's 26 straight saves in "If you go back and look at the pitches we threw late in the game, not good. Not good pitches," Black said. "We didn't pitch well from the sixth inning on, and if you go out there and ask every one of those guys, they'll tell you the same thing. So it's not the ballpark. It's the pitches. If you look at gamelogs, other cities, other games, where funky things happen, they're happening." QUOTABLE "He's fine. Have you been around this cat? This cat is fine. This cat has got confidence. He's fine." -- Black, on Tapia's composure in high-leverage moments MANY MISPLAYS The Giants' defense didn't do Moore many favors. Posey committed two throwing errors, marking his first multiple-error game since April 8, Right fielder Pence misjudged DJ 10

11 LeMahieu's second-inning fly ball, resulting in a single that helped fuel the Rockies' four-run outburst. Pence also struggled with an elusive carom on Blackmon's third-inning drive. It went for a triple. UPON FURTHER REVIEW Umpires reviewed a ninth-inning ruling which held that Span was tagged out at home plate after Holland's 2-2 pitch trickled a few feet away from catcher Tom Murphy. Span hesitated slightly between third base and home. "I think that was the difference between me being safe and out," Span admitted. All that really mattered was the result of the video review, which held that the call stands. WHAT'S NEXT Giants: Right-hander Jeff Samardzija will make his 14th start of the season when he confronts Colorado in Friday's rematch. He has compiled a 2-1 record with a 3.63 ERA in seven career appearances at Coors Field. Rockies: Right-handed rookie Antonio Senzatela will continue his All-Star bid Friday in what will be his third outing against the Giants; he's pitched seven innings in each of the previous two. The 22-year-old has exhibited a Coors Field confidence through eight home starts, carrying a 6-1 record with a 3.18 ERA. MLB.com Posey, Nunez hurt, but should be OK soon Chris Haft DENVER -- The Giants could be forgiven for believing that they didn't lose a thing Thursday night, though leg injuries robbed them of Buster Posey and Eduardo Nunez by game's end and the final score read Colorado 10, San Francisco 9. Posey and Nunez, as it turned out, weren't seriously injured. Posey related that pain shot through his surgically repaired left ankle as he hit a two-run homer in the seventh inning. However, he insisted he felt much better after receiving medical treatment. Nunez experienced tightness in his left hamstring after beating out an infield single to open the seventh, but he predicted he'll be back in the lineup before this four-game series ends. Full Game Coverage The game itself lacked the hopelessness that has accompanied many Giants defeats this season. 11

12 San Francisco trailed 9-1 after six innings. But Posey's homer launched a rally that featured some unlikely events and left the Giants feeling more encouraged than discouraged. "We made [Colorado] earn that win," center fielder Denard Span said. The Giants' optimism began with the medical report. Posey explained that hitting against his front foot -- his left -- might have torn some scar tissue. His condition had improved by the time he left Coors Field. "As far as swelling goes, to the [naked] eye it's not very swollen, so all in all I was happy about it because it was pretty painful," he said. Nunez aggravated his hamstring on a stolen-base attempt during the recent Minnesota series and has been receiving treatment since then. "I think maybe one or two days will take care of this thing," he said. Even without Posey, who's batting.356, and Nunez, who's resting at.300, the Giants steadily built their hit total to 17, tying a season high. That figure included a career-high four hits from rookie left fielder Austin Slater, who's batting.405. Slater's defensive doings were just as noteworthy, since he took over at third base for the sidelined Nunez. The Giants had no choice, since reserve infielders Aaron Hilland Kelby Tomlinson already had been used as pinch-hitters. Slater, who played second base in the Minors in 2015, handled his only chance flawlessly. Other big hits included Brandon Crawford's eighth-inning homer, the team's first three-run clout of the season, and Nick Hundley's solo shot after he replaced Posey. Also in the eighth, saddled with an empty bench but needing a pinch-hitter for reliever Josh Osich, manager Bruce Bochy called upon left-hander Ty Blach, who grounded an RBI single up the middle. Asked if he issued any specific instructions to Blach, Bochy replied, "'Get a base hit.' That's all I said." For one night, it seemed that simple. 12

13 MLB.com Sharp Samardzija looks to stop Rockies Chris Haft Besides totaling plenty of syllables, Friday's pitching matchup featuring Colorado's Antonio Senzatela and San Francisco's Jeff Samardzija could feature some slick pitching. Even at Coors Field. Senzatela (8-2) owns a 6-1 record and a 3.18 ERA in seven home starts. He also happens to be 2-0 with a 2.57 ERA against the Giants. Full Game Coverage Despite his 2-8 record, Samardzija has displayed considerable command. In his last eight starts, he has struck out 65 and walked two in 541/3 innings. Among pitchers with at least 500 pitches thrown since May 1, Samardzija has the lowest rate of pitches made while behind in the count (14.9 percent). Meanwhile, his strike rate of 68.8 percent is the fifth highest. Things to know about this game With his third-inning double Thursday, Giants catcher Buster Posey has hit safely in 21 of his last 23 games at Coors Field, including nine games in a row. The Rockies have winning records on each day of the week except two, and even then they're.500: Monday (3-3) and Wednesday (5-5). Colorado has won 15 of 22 series this year with three splits. 13

14 MLB.com Tomlinson s family with him for 1 st Father s Day Chris Haft DENVER -- Giants utility man Kelby Tomlinson doesn't have to say how much his first Father's Day means to him. The mere fact that he's being joined here by his wife, Tiffany, and their son, Huck McCoy, speaks volumes about his desire to enjoy the significance and symbolism of this day. "It'll be a special moment to have with my wife and little boy," Tomlinson said. "It'll be a lot of fun to spend some time with them." Huck was born last Oct. 31, during the offseason. So Tomlinson, who turned 27 on Friday, has been introduced to the highs and heartbreak of being a big league dad. The highs include flying in his family for occasions like this one. Heartbreak is a part of virtually every road trip. The separation from his loved ones, Tomlinson said, "definitely makes it a little more difficult." Like many people who travel as part of making a living, Tomlinson copes by using modern technology. He communicates with Tiffany and Hunter by using Facetime. Though that helps, there's no substitute for being present. And Tomlinson savors hanging out with Huck more and more as time passes. "He's getting a little more personality, a little more playful," Tomlinson said. "So it's getting more enjoyable.... He'll reach for you and try to grab at you. To get him laughing is awesome." Tomlinson has refrained from rolling a ball to Huck as an introductory form of playing catch. "He's got one little orange ball that he plays with," Tomlinson said. "But he's not quite old enough yet to figure it all out." 14

15 CSNbayarea.com Silver lining with Posey, Nunez news after Giants walk-off loss to Rockies Alex Pavlovic DENVER There was a moment Thursday night that seemed too cruel, even for an odd year, even for a clubhouse full of rings. Trailing by seven runs, the Giants watched Eduardo Nuñez, their spark plug, limp off with hamstring tightness. Five minutes later, Buster Posey hit a two-run homer and felt a stabbing pain in his ankle. Posey followed Nuñez into the trainer s room as Bruce Bochy scrambled to put a reasonable lineup back on the field for the bottom of the inning. In the dugout, heads hung. Players looked around in a daze. The number crunchers say there s a 99 percent chance this season ends after 162 games, and the Giants understand that. But they were having a hard time coming to grips with a frightening flurry of events. And then, they flipped a switch. It s here that we ll stop and point out that the Giants lost, It was their 12th loss in 16 games, but in the clubhouse, players understood that this night could have been so much worse. Posey has inflammation in his surgically-repaired left ankle but he was feeling much better after the game and expects to miss just a couple of days. Nuñez could be back in this series. He said he was mostly being cautious with a hamstring that flares up now and again. The lineup was not torn to pieces, and players took solace in the fact that they proved to themselves that they ll continue to fight, no matter what the standings show. We didn t give up, leadoff hitter Denard Span said. We lost and we re losing a lot, but we re still fighting. We re still battling. Moral victories don t count, but at the moment, the Giants will take any positive they can get. Span was happy that the Giants at least made them earn that win after falling behind by eight runs. Right now, we re trying to find anything to build off, Span said. Perhaps they can sleep a little better knowing that they re still whole, and that there were signs of life Thursday. Austin Slater had four hits and looks locked in as the left fielder for the near future. Brandon Crawford hit a three-run homer, the first of the year for the Giants. Ty Blach had a pinch-hit RBI single. The contributions came from up and down the lineup, but the hole was just too deep. That falls on the shoulders of Matt Moore, who gave up eight runs in three innings. 15

16 Posey was behind the plate for those long frames, and perhaps on a humid 86 degree night, that took something out of him. He said he felt pain as soon as he connected on his ninth homer. I had pain go through my ankle and the more I ran on it the worse it hurt, he said. When a reporter pointed out that the ankle was the one he famously hurt in 2011, Posey nodded. Yeah, he said. I was a little confused (about why it was hurting). The training staff believes scar tissue pinched on Posey s swing and caused the pain. All in all, I m happy about it because it was pretty painful, he said. With Posey and Nuñez hurting, the Giants will be short this weekend. They expect to at some point lose Hunter Strickland to his suspension, and because of that, Bruce Bochy used Strickland for a third straight day. The Giants had tied the game when Gorkys Hernandez lofted a fly ball to center off Greg Holland, who took his first blown save. Strickland got the bottom of the ninth and put two on for Raimel Tapia, who bounced the winning single to right. The Rockies charged the field and the Giants walked slowly back to the clubhouse, where they mostly got good news. That was enough to take some of the sting out of the loss. I m good with what happened tonight, Bochy said. This was a gutty effort. CSNbayarea.com Instant Replay Alex Pavlovic DENVER In a span of about five minutes Thursday night, the Giants lost the two players who have been their most consistent hitters. They also lost the game, but not before proving that they haven t given up the fight. The Giants wiped out an eight-run deficit in the final three innings mostly without Buster Posey and Eduardo Nuñez, who left with leg injuries but ultimately fell 10-9 to the Rockies. Raimel Tapia hit a walk-off single off Hunter Strickland in the bottom of the ninth. Matt Moore gave up eight runs in three innings, but the bullpen held it together and the lineup chipped away late. The Giants scored two in the seventh and five in the eighth. In the ninth, Gorkys Hernandez s fly to center was just deep enough to score Austin Slater and hand Greg Holland his first blown save in 24 tries. Here are five things to know from a wild but painful night at Coors Field 16

17 --- Nuñez called for a trainer after a single and Posey was pulled after his ninth homer of the year. Here s exactly what happened. More to come, obviously. --- Austin Slater has been one of the few brights spots in recent weeks. The rookie had four singles, raising his average to.405 in 10 games. It s super early, but Slater certainly has shown the ability to handle the bat, and he looks worthy of a long, long audition in left field. When Posey and Nuñez got hurt, Slater made his professional debut at third base. Aaron Hill and Kelby Tomlinson had already been used as pinch-hitters. He recorded the second out of the bottom of the seventh. --- Brandon Crawford s homer with two outs in the eighth was the first three-run homer of the year for the Giants. This was their 68th game. --- Ty Blach pinch-hit for Josh Osich in the eighth because the Giants were out of position players. The kid lined an RBI single up the middle. He really is a Mini Bumgarner. --- Matt Moore at home: 3.07 ERA. Matt Moore on the road: 9.24 ERA. CSNbayarea.com Giants Nunez, Posey exit early with leg injuries against Rockies Alex Pavlovic DENVER -- Only two Giants veterans have consistently hit over the past month, and both of them were removed from the game in the seventh inning Thursday. A few minutes after Eduardo Nuñez was taken back to the clubhouse, Buster Posey hobbled down the dugout steps with a trainer. Nuñez has been listed as dealing with left hamstring tightness while Posey right now is said to have a sore ankle. Austin Slater, who was drafted as a second baseman, moved from left field to third base. He had never before played a professional inning at third base. Nuñez legged out an infield single while leading off the seventh but he had trouble stopping once he passed the bag and he called for trainer Dave Groeschner as he walked slowly back to the base. Nuñez waved his hand in front of his throat, indicating that he couldn't go on. Nuñez was replaced by pinch-runner Gorkys Hernandez, who scored when Posey hit a long homer to left. As Posey crossed the plate, he wore a pained expression on his face. He was surrounded by trainers as he got back to the dugout and he too headed back to the clubhouse. Nick Hundley came in to catch. 17

18 It was an 86 degree night at Coors Field, where the air is already thin. That's exactly the type of night where Giants have suffered strains in the past. ESPN.com Who would say no? Finding the Astros another starting pitcher David Schoenfield The Houston Astros have the best record in baseball, but the dream season has hit a few bumps. Starting pitchers Dallas Keuchel, Lance McCullers Jr. and Charlie Morton are all on the disabled list, along with Collin McHugh, who has been out all season with an elbow injury. The need: another starter for the Astros The Astros are being cautious with left-hander Keuchel (neck discomfort) and right-hander McCullers (sore back), taking advantage of their big lead in the American League West to not push them through what don t appear to be major injuries at this time. Thanks to those two, the rotation boasts the second-best ERA in the majors behind the Diamondbacks, but you only get so many chances to win a ring. Another starting pitcher would provide some depth and probably line up as the team s No. 3 starter in the playoffs ahead of Mike Fiers and Joe Musgrove. Here are some of the options that might be available: Who would say no? Does a trade with the White Sox make sense for the Astros? Vote at the bottom of the page» Sonny Gray, Oakland Athletics 4.37 ERA 3.40 FIP.253/.303/ % SO rate 7.1% BB rate The good news is that after battling injuries in 2016 and starting the season on the DL with a lat strain, Gray is healthy and throwing well. Would the A s trade the right-hander within the division? Never say never, as I m sure Billy Beane -- if he doesn t think the A s can compete with the Astros the next two or three seasons -- wouldn t mind extracting two prospects and their 12 combined seasons of team control from a West foe. Still, intra-division deals are rare. Yu Darvish, Texas Rangers 3.03 ERA 4.10 FIP.194/.281/ % SO rate 9.7% BB rate Darvish is a free agent after this season, and unless the Rangers go in the tank between now 18

19 and July 31, I d predict they keep their ace and hope to make a run at one of the wild cards. Jason Vargas, Kansas City Royals 2.10 ERA 3.22 FIP.236/.283/ % SO rate 5.6% BB rate Another would-be rental, Vargas is pitching the best baseball of his career. While his BABIP is normal, he s still outpitching his FIP thanks to an unsustainable strand rate, and his home-run rate -- especially for a fly-ball pitcher -- is probably due for a spike. But if you want to bet on the hot hand, this might be the guy. Gerrit Cole, Pittsburgh Pirates 4.54 ERA 4.57 FIP.268/.312/ % SO rate 5.7% BB rate Cole is under control through 2019, so he d be expensive even though he hasn t pitched that well. Given his mediocre strikeout rate and home-run problems so far, I d be wary about bringing him to the American League. Best trade match: Jose Quintana, Chicago White Sox 5.30 ERA 4.17 FIP.259/.330/ % SO rate 9.2% BB rate So this gets us to the pitcher linked to the Astros since last offseason. From , Quintana pitched 200 innings each season and compiled a 3.35 ERA. If he wasn t quite an ace, his durability and consistency made him one of the best starters in the league. With a teamfriendly contract that goes through 2020 for a total of $30.85 million over the final three seasons, everybody thought the White Sox would trade him over the winter. They didn t and it might have been a mistake. Quintana has allowed five or more runs in four of his 13 starts, with some minor spikes in walk rate and home-run rate compared to his career norms. His ERA looks bad, but the FIP is a respectable 4.17, and while the extra walks aren t helping, one reason for his high ERA is a low strand rate of 66.7 percent, significantly below his 78 percent rate of the previous two seasons. The more you dig into the numbers, Quintana is mostly the same pitcher. His velocity is fine, his strikeout rate is actually a career high, his well-hit average is lower than his career rate. I see a pitcher who is better than his ERA and has probably pitched in some bad luck. Vargas has been better so far, but I d probably take Quintana the rest of season. Of course, the White Sox would love to see him reel off three or four good starts in a row to convince teams they could get the same package they might have wanted over the winter. What do they need? Everything! The hauls for Chris Sale and Adam Eatonbrought in pitching 19

20 prospects Michael Kopech, Lucas Giolito, Reynaldo Lopezand Dane Dunning, with Dunning -- the least heralded of the four -- having the best season. In other words, you can never have too many pitching prospects. That s why the White Sox should ask for Francis Martes, Houston s top prospect. He s up now filling in for the depleted rotation even though he was struggling in Triple-A. Still, he s 21, and throws mid-90s with a swing-and-miss curveball. The White Sox will also ask for outfielder Kyle Tucker, Houston s first-round pick in 2015, but the Astros aren t trading him. Would they part with Derek Fisher, who was tearing up Triple-A and homered in his big league debut Wednesday? I like Fisher a lot and he has the ability to help them this season. If he can handle left field, they could slide Marwin Gonzalez into some first base and designated hitter to help the offense even more. So let s try a different direction: The Astros also include pitcher Franklin Perez, a 19-year-old Venezuelan with an advanced, four-pitch repertoire, third baseman J.D. Davis, who is hitting.286 with 16 home runs at Double-A, but has some swing-and-miss in his game, and outfielder Teoscar Hernandez, a potential starting outfielder who reached the big leagues last season but is blocked in Houston. What do you think? Who says no? 20