San Francisco Giants: Samardzija dominates, Hill hits go-ahead double in 7-2 win.

Eduardo Nunez homered for the second time this month and the San Francisco Giants offense overcame a game in which it left 12 runners on base the first seven innings. Samardzija continues to strike out everyone while walking absolutely no one.

Jeff Samardzija led the San Francisco Giants to a 7-2 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers as the offense erupted late on the road.

The bottom half of the first inning showcased live arms for the San Francisco Giants. Jeff Samardzija sat 93-95 on the gun, but allowed a leadoff double to Eric Sogard. Domingo Santana then moved him over to third with a single before stealing second shortly after.

Then another live arm made his debut as Orlando Calixte tried to catch Eric Sogard tagging on a pop out and he overthrew his target by about a mile. Samardzija would retire the next batter and eventually settle in.

Samardzija pitched a superb game when it was all over, scattering six hits over seven-and-two-third innings, while giving up two runs although only one was earned.

San Francisco Giants’ offense remained its usual quiet self for most of the game and left 12 runners on base after just the seventh inning. In the top of the second inning, Brandon Crawford started the inning with a walk and was moved the second by Hunter Pence’s single.

The no out rally was wasted after the San Francisco Giants were retired via pop out, ground out, and pop out.

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Two Giants did continue to swing the bat well, as Buster Posey sent an 0-2 pitch up the middle for a single, and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Joe Panik then singled to score Posey cutting the lead in half 2-1.

San Francisco Giants would tie the game at two in the fifth when Nunez blasted a homer to left field for his fourth of the year.

Samardzija cruised the whole game until the seventh inning, when he gave up a double to Hernan Perez with one out. He then got Manny Pina to ground a ball sharply to Crawford who couldn’t field it cleanly and was ruled a single, while moving Perez to third.

Samardzija then buckled down to retire Nick Franklin and Jonathan Villar by swinging strikeouts. His 94 strikeouts are second best in the NL and fourth best in all of MLB.

Brandon Belt started the eighth inning with a single and was thrown out on a fielder’s choice by Posey. Crawford followed the at bat by collecting another walk. Pence flied out and Panik was intentionally walked to load the bases.

Aaron Hill would step in to pinch hit for Calixte and delivered a two-run double, but Panik was thrown out at home to end the inning. Still, the San Francisco Giants took a 4-2 lead from the first place Brewers.

Samardzija would start the eighth inning by allowing a leadoff single to Brett Phillips. The Shark would continue to buckle down and he kept finding ways to stop base traffic. He got Jesus Aguilar to ground into a double play and pumped his fist with joy. Eric Sogard’s single would knock him out the game, before Hunter Strickland entered to strikeout Santana for the third out.

In the ninth the San Francisco Giants would add some insurance runs as Kelby Tomlinson singled to leadoff, was moved to second by Denard Span‘s walk. An error would load the bases for Belt, who singled to score a run. Posey and Pence would both ground out to score an additional run a piece leaving the final score 7-2.

Game Notes

Jeff Samardzija pitched down in the zone and located very well today. Samardzija has struggled with control issues in the past, but this season has only issued 11 walks this season, and just one in his last seven games pitched( 47.2 innings). His breaking pitches are working very well, and his groundball rate was high this game. If Samardzija can continue to stay off the middle of the plate and mix his pitches effectively, there’s no question he can be a front-line starter.

Nunez has started the month hot and continued with his fourth homer this season, and second of the month. Since June started, he’s carrying an impressive line of .385/.467/.769. He also made a couple of nice plays at third and looks very comfortable to be fielding on dirt and not grass once again. If the Giants do decide to sell, Nunez would be a piece who could add plenty of versatility to a team, just as he did for the San Francisco Giants last season.

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