Reds Mistakes Allow Giants Win

 

 

Dateline: 1,209 Kilometers from the Gulf of Mexico

The San Francisco Giants took advantage of key Cincinnati errors physically and mentally to push their lead from one run to a 6-3 win.

Nick Matinez made his first start of the season against left hander Robby Ray of the San Francisco Giants.

Each retired the first 12 men in order to start the game, leaving it scoreless through four innings.

Heliot Ramos hit his second home run of the season, one out into the fifth inning. Martinez had a streak of 30 innings without giving up a home run or a walk until Ramos’ blast. He walked Wilmer Flores following the home run but two force plays ended the inning right there.

Ray continued his dominance through the fifth inning. 

Martinez lost control of the game in the sixth inning. Tyler Fitzgerald opened the inning with a double just inside the third base bag into the left field corner. Martinez struck out Lamont Wade Jr and Willie Adames but Matt Chapman homered to put the Giants ahead 4-0. The inning ended when Ramos lined to Martinez who made a behind-the-back catch.

“I felt good the whole day,” Marinez said. “I made some good pitches, even in that last inning. I didn’t execute my pitches to Chapman and he capitalized.”

Gavin Lux singled up the middle to open the sixth, breaking Ray’s spell. After a spectacular play by Chapman at third to stump Blake Dunn’s bid for a double. Backup catcher Austin Wynns blasted a pitch into the left field stands. It was Wynns’ 14th career home run and his first since July 8. 2023 while playing for the Colorado Rockies at San Francisco off Ryan Walker. 

“You look back at that inning. It was a game changer in the field and he did it at the plate,” Francona said of Matt Chapman. 

Matt McLain, mighty mouse, blasted his second home run in two days to cut the lead to 4-3. Santiago Espinal walked after a pitch clock violation. The crowd taunted Ray by counting down the pitch clock. Giants’ manager, Bob Melvin, brought in his other left hander, Erik Miller, who got Christian Encarnacion-Strand to hit into an inning ending double play.

Ian Gibaut replaced Martinez to start the seventh. Gibaut redeemed himself from his opening day meltdown with a perfect inning.

Lou Travino entered in the seventh for the Giants.

Taylor Rogers started the eighth for the Reds. A throwing error by De La Cruz allowed Fitzgerald to reach base. Wade Jr. bunted Fitzgerald to second, who took off to steal third. Wynns threw him out according to third base umpire Cory Blaser but the Giants challenged and got the call reversed.

“It’s hard to imagine that (overturn) was clear and convincing but……..” Francona said.

Adames hit a sacrifice fly to center. Jung Hoo Lee got on with an infield hit. Scott Barlow relieved Rogers. Chapman walked and Ramos singled in a run. 

A mental error on the basepaths cost the Reds a good chance to catch up. 

Dunn singled to open the eighth inning. Pinch hitter Jacob Hurtibise walked. McLain, trying to protect the plate with two strikes, hit a slow roller short of the mound. The runners moved to second and third with one out. Espinal hit a ground ball to Chapman at third. Hurtubise instead of holding on a ball to that side ran into an out and Chapman threw Espinal out after the tag.

“We have human beings. We aren’t going to scream at them,” Francona said. “When there is a baserunning mistake, we address it; talk to them and tell them why. So we try not to do it again.”

Trainers Room:

Spencer Steer was in the lineup as a designated hitter against the Giants but will not play in the field until he successfully completes his throwing program.

“My shoulder is getting better,” Steer said. “It’s more dialing in my mechanics. My mechanics kind of went out the window when I was trying to play through it last year. There were a lot of compensating patterns in the way I threw. It almost feels like we’re starting from scratch.”

Andrew Abbott pitched five innings in Arizona on March 27 in a minor league game. He got up to 74 pitches in his outing.

Carson Spiers was also scheduled to pitch in advance of his first start on April 1 against the Texas Rangers.

According to manager Terry Francona, Rhett Lowder and Wade Miley are progressing through their throwing program.

“Lowder is doing good. He’s (throwing) off the mound.” Francona said. “Miley is going to throw two innings to live 

hitters, I think tomorrow (March 30).” 

Tyler Stephenson had a cat scan on Wednesday (March 26). He will have an MRI on April 7 and will not go on the road trip to Milwaukee and San Francisco. 

“We’re trying to make sure before we give him more to do,” Francona. “He’s made a vast improvement.”