Giants chip away, rally late, but fall short against Padres

Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports

It was a beautiful Saturday in Scottsdale, and the first televised game of Spring Training for the Giants. Fans from all over had the opportunity to watch the Giants square off against a San Diego Padre team that has the capability of making noise next season in the NL West.

The first inning was relatively quiet, just a hit a piece for each team. Madison Bumgarner and James Shields set down their respective opponents though without much problem. The second inning was a bit of a different story, as Bumgarner had trouble keeping guys off base. The Padres put up two runs via Cory Spangenberg‘s 1-out single to right field. Bumgarner retired the next two guys, finishing his day with the two runs on the four hits.

The Giants were unable to get much going until the 4th. The Padres however tacked on 2 more in the 3rd against Santiago Casilla, as he struggled through most of the inning. Lincecum came in the 4th inning, retired Jake Goebbert, gave up a solo shot to the new Padre Wil Myers, and then retired the next two batters.

Angel Pagan walked in the bottom of the 4th to set the table for Brandon Belt‘s RBI double, which was the Giants first run of the game, but the only run of that inning. Lincecum gave up another run on an Alexi Amarista double in the 5th, but would finish out the inning to conclude his two inning two-run outing.

Hunter Strickland came in the 6th and flashed signs of high 90s throughout the inning, even though there was a threat of the Padres piling onto their 5-run lead. This has been one of the first times in Spring Training that Strickland has shown this kind of perseverance and dominance, and is a pretty good sign going forward, as he struck out the next two hitters after a walk and single.

In the top of the 7th, Jean Machi came up and set the Padres down in order. The Giants started chipping away again in their half of the 6th and 7th, on a Hector Sanchez double and a Jarrett Parker fielder’s choice respectively. The Giants were threatening in both innings but were only able to get the two runs.

Machi came back in the 8th and got the first two, before giving up a hit, and then got Rico Noel to ground out to end the inning. He had the most successful outing of the day amongst all Giants pitchers.

Gary Brown walked to start off the bottom of the 8th inning, Sanchez tapped it to 3rd base, and a bad throw by Ramiro Pena allowed Sanchez to get to 2nd and Brown to score. Now with the score at 6-4, Carlos Triunfel was brought in to pinch run for Sanchez, and Mac Williamson legged out an infield single to move Triunfel to third. Daniel Carbonell smacked a sacrifice fly to dead center, making it 6-5.

Mitch Delfino walked, bringing up Christian Arroyo, who hit into a double play to end the 8th. Cody Hall came in for the Giants in the 9th, and struck out the first two batters while sporting a nasty change-up. Unfortunately, one of them hung a little too much for Rymer Liriano, who tattooed it to left field to make it 7-5 in favor of the Padres. Hall struck out Hunter Renfroe for the 3rd out.

The Giants made some noise in the 9th against Scott Elbert. Parker walked, stole 2nd, and Brown hit a double to left center to get the Giants within one. Guillermo Quiroz stared at 3 straight strikes as the Giants fell to the Padres, 7-6.

Next up, the Giants play a split-squad game against the Diamondbacks tomorrow. Fans will have to wait another 19 days to see their Giants on Comcast Sports Net, as the next televised game is scheduled for March 26th against the Oakland A’s.