SF Giants: Kevin Gausman dazzles in 3-2 defeat against Pirates

Kevin Gausman strung together an impressive performance on the mound, but it was not enough to give the SF Giants the victory as the bats went silent. After securing a win against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Thursday, the Giants had an opportunity to take a commanding series lead on Friday. They had the momentum, but that was not enough to wake up the bats.

Nevertheless, Gausman authored one of his most impressive performances in a Giants uniform. The game was uneventful until the later innings, and that was due to the right-handed hurler mowing down the Pirates’ lineup.

SF Giants: Kevin Gausman dazzles in 3-2 loss to Pirates

Admittedly, the Pirates do not have a good lineup as they are last in the National League with 3.41 runs per game, but they still are a group of major league hitters. Gausman did not go easy as he racked up 12 strikeouts, including 21 swinging strikes, across eight frames.

The 30-year-old began the ninth inning with a chance to close out the game, but the baseball gods can be cruel. He yielded consecutive bloop singles that knocked him out with Adam Frazier on third base and no outs.

Jake McGee came in to try and get them into extra innings and he did just that. He allowed Frazier to score but struck out the next three batters to keep the game going

Extra innings have become a thorn in the Giants’ side as they had recorded one win in four chances before tonight’s game. They looked to add one more tally to the victory column, but neither team took advantage in the 10th inning.

Mauricio Dubón led off the 11th inning with a flyout that moved Brandon Crawford over to third base. Austin Slater scored Crawford with a bloop single to right field. The Giants were threatening to put a crooked number up on the board with runners on first and second. However, they were not able to add an insurance run.

Still, they had the lead heading into the bottom of the 11th inning with Caleb Baragar on the mound. The worst thing they could do was start the inning by allowing a home run or a triple. Of course, they allow an RBI triple to Adam Frazier, bringing the score to a 2-2 tie with the winning run on third.

They got a pop out, then walked the bases loaded to set up a force out. It was a plan that had a chance of working. Gregory Polanco stepped to the plate and laced a 1-2 offering from Baragar to center field for a sacrifice fly to score the winning run and end the game.

This definitely feels like a game that the Giants should have won, but the offense did not give them a chance. The good thing about baseball is you play everyday, so they have a chance to begin anew tomorrow.