Giants' offensive outburst not enough as tragic home stretch continues vs. Rays originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
For the first time since 1901, the Giants have lost 14 of 15 games at home.
It’s also San Francisco’s sixth straight loss, their third such streak in just over a month.
Though Friday’s 7-6 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays at Oracle Park looked much different than the previous five, the result was the same — and just as disheartening.
“It’s just like, we can’t get our timing right with anything,” manager Bob Melvin said postgame. “Everybody is feeling it right now, especially at home. You lose games, you lose multiple games and you lose them in different fashions — it’s not a great feeling.
“But I think we take the field every day in good spirits, and you got to do it again the next day, unfortunately.”
The Giants’ offense woke up quickly Friday night against Rays starter Joe Boyle, pushing six runs across in the first three innings. By comparison, the Giants had scored only five total runs in their previous five games.
Willy Adames ended an 0-for-24 streak at the plate with a third-inning homer, while the bottom of the Giants’ order showed life as well. Christian Koss reached base in all four of his plate appearances, while Patrick Bailey knocked a two-run double the other way to give San Francisco a 6-3 lead.
But even after their hot start at the plate, the Giants’ issues with runners in scoring position resurfaced again late in a tie game. After two hit batters and a single loaded the bases with no outs in the eighth, San Francisco still couldn’t get a ball out of the infield to drive in the go-ahead run.
The Rays, meanwhile, managed to do what the Giants couldn’t, converting a first-and-third, no outs situation into the eventual game-winning run in the top of the ninth.
That clutch hitting was yet again the difference in a San Francisco loss. The Giants went 4-for-18 with runners in scoring position and stranded eight runners, while Tampa Bay went 5-for-12.
To make matters worse for the Giants’ offense, Matt Chapman hit the IL again before Friday’s game with right hand inflammation stemming from his June injury. The All-Star third baseman spoke to the media postgame, explaining that he received two cortisone shots in his hand Friday to help relieve the inflammation.
Chapman said he has been dealing with pain while swinging since his initial return from the IL in early July, but he’s dealt with incerased soreness over the past two weeks — which has coincided with a decrease in performance at the plate.
“It’s something that kind of has to scar over,” Chapman detailed about the three tears he sustained in his hand. “There hasn’t been enough time for the scarring to happen, so I’ve been trying to just push through it, do what I can.
“I think just from constantly playing, the inflammation just kept going and I couldn’t get ahead of it. So, we’re just hoping this cortisone shot … can get me over the hump, and that way I can be productive and help the team win.”
Both Melvin and Chapman seemed optimistic that the Giants star could return after just the minimum 10 days.
But later that night, Chapman’s backup at third base suffered an injury scare as well, when Casey Schmitt was hit by a pitch in the eighth inning.
Melvin said Schmitt has a right forearm contusion and X-rays came back negative.
“It’s probably going to be a couple of days for him, though,” Melvin told reporters. “Obviously, it’s hard to lose him, but we have some guys that can fill in for now. Hopefully it’s not too long.”
Needless to say, the Giants’ run of bad luck continued in multiple facets on Friday night.