MIAMI — A team’s success often hinges on its bullpen, which makes it understandable why the Giants are struggling to find their rhythm this season.
It looked like he might finally secure four consecutive wins, but then—bam!—he was right back to square one.
“Naturally, we aim to win every game,” coach Landen Roop noted. On Friday night, a two-run sixth inning put the team in a solid position for a victory. “We really need those wins.” Especially considering so many times this season, the fourth win has just slipped away…
Things fell apart in a 4-3 loss to the Marlins right after Loup exited the mound.
Sam Hentges came in during the seventh inning and, well, things didn’t go as planned. He hit Estuary Lewis, letting the quick pinch hitter get on base and also permitted another batter to reach.
Hentges initially led Lewis 0-2 but, in an attempt to keep him at bay, his pitch went a bit too tight and hard. He couldn’t finish the inning when the number nine batter, Javier Sanoja, attempted a bunt.
“The ball was—uh, to Ruiz. It came right over the plate,” manager Tony Vitello lamented. “It wasn’t a strike, but his elbow got hit.”
“We thought that might happen,” Sanoja said. “I was calling out from the dugout since I was bunting. Sam moves around a lot for a big guy, but, honestly, we couldn’t do much against him.”
Instead of preserving the one-run lead Loup had set up, Hentges let both runners score, handing the advantage to Miami. Liam Hicks led off with a single, and Owen Cathy drove in a run with a deep sacrifice fly.
This loss marked the Giants’ seventh defeat in 30 games where they had a lead after six innings. It was the fifth time they had the chance for four in a row, and they’ve yet to win in those games, going 0-5.
“I want us to stay on course,” Vitello said. “If we had won a few more, maybe we’d be in a happier spot. But I believe this group will get there.”
Loup had previously helped the Giants with a solid performance in a doubleheader sweep, where he allowed only one run after the first inning.
Yet, the bats sometimes faltered.
It wasn’t that runners were scarce; Loop faced batters in all six innings, and the Giants put six guys on base against the Marlins within the first three innings.
Bryce Eldridge was one of only two Giants not to get on base, snapping his 22-game streak—the longest for a San Francisco rookie since Buster Posey. Luis Arraez, batting second, didn’t fare any better, finishing 0-for-4.
Daniel Suszak nearly hit his first career home run, a grand slam, but instead ended up with a long sacrifice fly—still the only run for the Giants during those chances.
The Giants seemed to regroup when Rafael Devers hit what looked like his 11th home run into the upper right-field seats, followed by a double from Lee Jung-hoo.
Casey Schmidt’s single put the Giants up 3-2 at one point, but it all ended as quickly as it started, leaving two more runners stranded.
“One swing could’ve gotten us four points,” Vitello reflected. “That doesn’t guarantee a win, but it certainly makes things simpler. We need to combine solid defense with pitching to find success when we score, perhaps two or three runs.”
What It Means
Vitello sees a four-run threshold as a sort of magic number for the team, and yeah, the Giants have a 24-7 record when they reach it. But despite being given opportunities, they’ve struggled to achieve it.
After all, some extra runs would certainly help a bullpen that has a 4.94 ERA, the seventh worst in the league since late April.
They’ve been held to three runs or fewer in an MLB-leading 44 innings, which resulted in losing seven games and winning just 37.
Who Is Hot
Willie Adames marked his 1,000th career hit with a single in the second inning and then scored on Suszak’s sacrifice fly. This milestone came right after he had two home runs in a doubleheader against the Braves.
Since May 18, he’s hit ten home runs, which ranks him second in the majors during that stretch, just behind Juan Soto. However, Adames admitted his swing had been slightly off, and he’s attempting to find consistency.
He was 1-for-31 before breaking through with those two home runs on Wednesday.
Who Is Not?
Loop opened the season impressively, going 5-1 with a 2.55 ERA in his first six starts. But since that sequence, the Giants have lost all eight of his subsequent starts, with Loop allowing four or more runs five times, which pushed his ERA to 4.24.
This time, however, Loop had a solid game, despite traffic on the bases. He pitched into the sixth with a 3-2 lead and achieved seven strikeouts, just one short of his season-best.
He appears to have become more efficient, delivering strikes with his sinker and surprising even himself with whiffs on his changeup.
“I looked up during the fourth inning and noticed I had only 65 pitches,” Roop said. “That took me by surprise. I feel like I competed better today and moved really well.”
He stood on the verge of his first victory since April 26, when facing the Marlins and allowing just two runs over 7 2/3 innings in his longest start of the year.
“I quickly realized they were swinging for curveballs, so I kept away from those,” Roop explained. “[The sinker] has been progressing well in the last three starts. But really, tonight I was hitting my spots, getting grounders instead of pop flies.”
To The Next
Trevor McDonald, who was originally slated to start in the series opener, will pitch for Game 2 on Saturday, set for 4:10 p.m. ET. Tyler Mahle is also expected to return from a hamstring strain on Wednesday, which may be his last shot to secure a spot in the rotation.
