Category: Sports News

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.

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After bullpen cart exit, X-rays negative on Duran's ankle originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

WASHINGTON — Kyle Schwarber said the Phillies were hoping not to hear anything “super serious” on Jhoan Duran’s injury Friday night.

So far, so good.

Duran exited the Phils’ 6-2 win over the Nationals sitting in the bullpen cart after he was hit in the right ankle by a 94.1 mph Paul DeJong liner. A Phillies official said X-rays on Duran were negative and he’ll be evaluated further Saturday.

The Phils’ closer had a slight limp in the postgame clubhouse. On the field, he’d grimaced and struggled to put weight on his right foot during an extended delay. DeJong’s comebacker evidently struck him in a painful spot. 

“It hit him off the right ankle, the outer (part) of his ankle,” Phillies manager Rob Thomson said. “He ran like a shot over to retrieve the ball, and then once he got there the adrenaline wore off and the pain set in.

“But before the cart came out — I know it took a long time — he actually said, ‘I feel better. I think I can walk over to the dugout.’ But we have all these steps out here (leading to the clubhouse), so we just wanted to use the cart and take him all the way around.”

Duran was the Phillies’ big trade deadline pickup. He’d been fantastic in his first four outings — four saves, one baserunner, a signature entrance and a powerful arsenal of pitches.

The Phillies held a four-run lead when Duran entered because Schwarber bashed a three-run homer in the seventh inning and Bryce Harper made it back-to-back jacks. David Robertson got the last three outs and the Phils halted a three-game losing streak.

They’ll learn more about Duran’s ankle in the days to come. Caution was the obvious approach Friday.

“He’s 240 pounds,” Thomson said with a smile. “I don’t want him carrying all that up the stairs.” 

Schwarber's clutch dinger gets Phillies back on track against Nationals  originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

WASHINGTON — The Phillies were in desperate search of a few slump-busting runs Friday night.

They were very glad to have Kyle Schwarber at the plate.

Schwarber hammered a go-ahead three-run homer in the seventh inning and the Phils snapped a three-game losing streak with a 6-2 win at Nationals Park. 

The club now sits at 70-52 this season. The Phillies are 5-3 on a road trip that has two games to go against the Nats. 

Friday’s start was Zack Wheeler’s second since being pushed back in the Phillies’ rotation because of shoulder soreness. He pitched five innings, allowed four hits and two runs, struck out six and walked two. 

Wheeler’s velocity was significantly down in his last outing against the Rangers; the 35-year-old righty’s four-seam fastball averaged 94.2 mph. He was also below his norm against the Nationals, but Wheeler’s velocity numbers were certainly not alarming. Wheeler averaged 95.7 mph on four-seamers, which is 0.4 mph under his season average. 

The Phillies immediately went to work against Nats lefty MacKenzie Gore. Trea Turner led off with a single, swiped second base and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Schwarber walked. 

Bryce Harper lined the seventh pitch of his at-bat to right field and sprinted for second. Right fielder Dylan Crews failed to throw Harper out and his one-hop effort leaked past shortstop CJ Abrams. Schwarber profited, heading home to give the Phils a 2-0 edge. 

Though Gore needed 37 pitches in the first inning, the Phillies’ lead did not balloon. Nick Castellanos flew out to the center-field warning track for the night’s first out. Edmundo Sosa and Otto Kemp both struck out with the bases loaded. 

The Nats answered in the bottom of the first with a James Wood leadoff walk and CJ Abrams RBI double.

Washington nearly tied the game up in the second inning. After a one-out Crews single and Wheeler wild pitch, Riley Adams knocked an opposite-field hit. The Nats sent Crews home and Castellanos made a great defensive play, tossing a perfect throw to the plate and letting J.T. Realmuto handle the rest.

Wheeler’s command sharpened a bit as the night progressed, although he was clearly not at his top level. The Nationals had plenty of lengthy at-bats him. On the 12th pitch of his third-inning at-bat, Josh Bell grounded out to first. Daylen Lile lifted a down-and-in splitter over the right-field fence to even the contest in the fourth inning.

“It’s been iffy, to be honest with you,” Wheeler said of his command lately. “Today was a little bit better. I was able to throw high with ease instead of feeling like I was trying to throw it high. That’s my bread and butter, just letting it go and it rides up there. Once I get a full feel for that back, I think everything else will kind of just fall into place.”

For a moment, it appeared the Phillies might squander another chance in the seventh. Turner popped up a 2-0 fastball from lefty reliever Konnor Pilkington with runners on first and second.

Schwarber stepped up and slugged.

His blast to the second deck in right field traveled 456 feet and prompted a roar from the sizable contingent of Phils’ fans in D.C. Harper deepened Pilkington’s misery, smoking a slider over the center-field wall.

From there, the Phillies’ bullpen finished off the Nats. Tanner Banks, Orion Kerkering and Matt Strahm each pitched a scoreless inning.

The ninth was supposed to be Jhoan Duran’s, but he only saw one batter.

Paul DeJong lined a sweeper up the middle and it struck Duran’s right ankle. He began to run after the ball but pulled up short and appeared to be in pain. After talking with members of the Phillies’ training staff during a long delay, Duran left the game on the Nats’ bullpen cart and David Robertson came in.

Following the game, a Phillies official said X-rays on Duran were negative and he’ll be evaluated further on Saturday.

Robertson ultimately got the job done, recording the final three outs of the Phils’ 70th victory.

On deck 

Saturday’s first pitch is scheduled for 4:05 p.m. Taijuan Walker (4-5, 3.39 ERA) will face Cade Cavalli (0-0, 3.86 ERA).

Phillies manager Rob Thomson said pregame that “there’s a chance” Alec Bohm returns over the weekend from his rehab assignment. Bohm played his fifth game with Triple-A Lehigh Valley on Friday night, going 0 for 4. He’s at 3 for 21 in this rehab stretch.

Schwarber's clutch dinger gets Phillies back on track against Nationals  originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

WASHINGTON — The Phillies were in desperate search of a few slump-busting runs Friday night.

They were very glad to have Kyle Schwarber at the plate.

Schwarber hammered a go-ahead three-run homer in the seventh inning and the Phils snapped a three-game losing streak with a 6-2 win at Nationals Park. 

The club now sits at 70-52 this season. The Phillies are 5-3 on a road trip that has two games to go against the Nats. 

Friday’s start was Zack Wheeler’s second since being pushed back in the Phillies’ rotation because of shoulder soreness. He pitched five innings, allowed four hits and two runs, struck out six and walked two. 

Wheeler’s velocity was significantly down in his last outing against the Rangers; the 35-year-old righty’s four-seam fastball averaged 94.2 mph. He was also below his norm against the Nationals, but Wheeler’s velocity numbers were certainly not alarming. Wheeler averaged 95.7 mph on four-seamers, which is 0.4 mph under his season average. 

The Phillies immediately went to work against Nats lefty MacKenzie Gore. Trea Turner led off with a single, swiped second base and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Schwarber walked. 

Bryce Harper lined the seventh pitch of his at-bat to right field and sprinted for second. Right fielder Dylan Crews failed to throw Harper out and his one-hop effort leaked past shortstop CJ Abrams. Schwarber profited, heading home to give the Phils a 2-0 edge. 

Though Gore needed 37 pitches in the first inning, the Phillies’ lead did not balloon. Nick Castellanos flew out to the center-field warning track for the night’s first out. Edmundo Sosa and Otto Kemp both struck out with the bases loaded. 

The Nats answered in the bottom of the first with a James Wood leadoff walk and CJ Abrams RBI double.

Washington nearly tied the game up in the second inning. After a one-out Crews single and Wheeler wild pitch, Riley Adams knocked an opposite-field hit. The Nats sent Crews home and Castellanos made a great defensive play, tossing a perfect throw to the plate and letting J.T. Realmuto handle the rest.

Wheeler’s command sharpened a bit as the night progressed, although he was clearly not at his top level. The Nationals had plenty of lengthy at-bats him. On the 12th pitch of his third-inning at-bat, Josh Bell grounded out to first. Daylen Lile lifted a down-and-in splitter over the right-field fence to even the contest in the fourth inning. 

For a moment, it appeared the Phillies might squander another chance in the seventh. Turner popped up a 2-0 fastball from lefty reliever Konnor Pilkington with runners on first and second.

Schwarber stepped up and slugged.

His blast to the second deck in right field traveled 456 feet and prompted a roar from the sizable contingent of Phils’ fans in D.C. Harper deepened Pilkington’s misery, smoking a slider over the center-field wall.

From there, the Phillies’ bullpen finished off the Nats. Tanner Banks, Orion Kerkering and Matt Strahm each pitched a scoreless inning.

The ninth was supposed to be Jhoan Duran’s, but he only saw one batter.

Paul DeJong lined a sweeper up the middle and it struck Duran’s right foot. He began to run after the ball but pulled up short and appeared to be in pain. After talking with members of the Phillies’ training staff during a long delay, Duran left the game on the Nats’ bullpen cart and David Robertson came in. This story will be updated when more information on his injury is available.

Robertson ultimately got the job done, recording the final three outs of the Phils’ 70th victory.

On deck 

Saturday’s first pitch is scheduled for 4:05 p.m. Taijuan Walker (4-5, 3.39 ERA) will face Cade Cavalli (0-0, 3.86 ERA).

Phillies manager Rob Thomson said pregame that “there’s a chance” Alec Bohm returns over the weekend from his rehab assignment. Bohm played his fifth game with Triple-A Lehigh Valley on Friday night, going 0 for 4. He’s at 3 for 21 in this rehab stretch.