Giants slip past champs

SF 3  ATL 2

Alex Cobb led the way with a great start: seven scoreless innings with six hits allowed and no walks against seven whiffs. His ERA is finally a respectable 3.48 after peaking out at 6.25 at the end of May. His 2.90 FIP tells a better story–that number peaked at 3.27 in June. Cobb is signed for next year and the team has an option for the following year. His sinker/splitter combo can get a lot of swinging strikes (18 last night) and ground balls (8 last night) when it’s working.

The Giants lineup was not intimidated by Spencer Strider and they jumped on him for a two runs in the 2nd. Brandon Crawford hit a single with one out and Thairo Estrada followed with a double. Both runners scored on hits by FNG Willie Calhoun and Luis González. The Giants added another in the 5th on an error on a grounder from Estrada. (Thairo is slashing .264/.321/.411 after his three-hit night.) The Giants worked a lot of long counts and rapped out nine hits against Strider and he was pulled after five frames (102 pitches, 9 K).

Zach Littell got into trouble in the 8th and the Braves closed the gap to one run but a four-out save from FNG southpaw Scott Alexander sealed the win. Jakob Junis goes tonight (6:45 PT).

Go Giants!

–M.C.

p.s The Giants obviously added OF Calhoun to the roster but they also promoted a young pitcher named Cole Waites. (Austin Dean went back to AAA and Tommy La Stella went to the IL.) Waites has 134 strikeouts in 71-1/3 innings over three seasons in the minors. Across three levels this season he’s whiffed 75 of the 169 batters he’s faced. He’s 24 and played college ball at West Alabama and was drafted in the 18th round in 2019. I hope we get to see him soon!