Long balls sink Giants

MIA 5  SF 2

Kevin Gausman pitched his best game of the young season, going eight full innings and allowing only two hits and a walk while striking out eleven. Unfortunately the Marlins countered with an excellent start by Pablo Lopez and scoreless bullpen work from Anthony Bass and Dylan Floro. Gausman and the Giants were up 1-0 after six but a solo shot from Jon Berti tied it in the top of the 7th. He was done after eight having thrown 101 pitches, 72 for strikes. Rookie reliever Gregory Santos came in for the 9th and gave up the big hit, a two-run homer from Jesus Aguilar. Welcome to the big leagues, kid. That swung the game to the Marlins. Aguilar was the one who hit the homer in the 9th against Jake McGee last night. Wandy Peralta finished the frame but the four-run outburst put the Giants in a 5-1 hole. Mike Yastrzemski, 0-for-3 with three whiffs, hit a solo shot off closer Yimi Garcia in the bottom half but that was it.

Gausman delivered the goods tonight but a lack of offense and poor relief work wasted the superb effort. It’s a tough loss–something the Giants have endured too many times already in these first few weeks! The flip side is that Gausman is doing everything the Giants hoped when they made him a Qualifying Offer. He’s thrown 33-2/3 innings over his five starts with 19 hits, 10 walks, 8 runs, and 34 strikeouts. He has a 1-0 record and the team is 3-2 in those games.

It’s a day game tomorrow with Logan Webb taking the hill at 1:05 Pacific.

Go Giants!

–M.C.