Recently, the Giants’ bullpen hasn’t protected enough lead. The offense, bottom-third in batting average, on-base percentage and runs per game since the All-Star break, hasn’t built big enough leads for them. San Francisco’s 12-18 second-half record shows how those factors might be problematic.
But those issues dissipated Tuesday — even if the ninth didn’t look perfect.
Carlos Rodón struck out 10 and walked none in seven stellar innings. Evan Longoria’s two-run home run allowed him to give San Francisco’s two most effective relievers — John Brebbia and Camilo Doval — a two run lead. Brebbia worked a perfect eighth, then Doval earned the save by stranding the bases loaded in the ninth.
Early on, the Giants (61-61) were squaring up balls, but that didn’t lead to much. LaMonte Wade Jr. flew out 361 feet to left. Thairo Estrada drilled two line drives right at gloves. Brandon Crawford got robbed of extra bases by right fielder Willi Castro.
San Francisco only led 1-0 after four frames, despite all the barrels. Joc Pederson’s two-out single scored Tommy La Stella in the first inning and initiated his 2-for-3 (with a walk) night.
Rodón struck out four straight Tigers between the third and fourth inning. He didn’t allow a hit between Riley Greene’s single to lead off the game and Harold Castro’s slap in the fifth.
Rodón’s sixth strikeout of the night, which caught Miguel Cabrera chasing a high-and-outside fastball, gave the lefty 185 on the season — matching the single-season high he set last year. His next punch out two batters later set a new standard.
But by then, the Giants still only led 1-0. The bullpen wasted his most recent gem when Dominic Leone allowed two runs in the eighth inning against Arizona. The Giants order needed to make something happen for Rodón.
In the sixth, Pederson drew a two-out walk against a left-handed reliever — a rare situation for the outfielder to face. Then Longoria dug in and got his pitch.
Fresh off one of the best games of his career, Longoria launched a low-and-in slider 410 feet for a no-doubter home run. His 12th homer of the year and third in August gave Rodón a three-run cushion.
Longoria’s second homer in as many games pushed his career total to 329, 115th all-time. Bobby Bonds hit 332 in his career. It also drove his OPS up to .853 on the season.
In the visitor’s dugout, Rodón mimicked Longoria’s hack with a golf swing. On the mound, his velocity spiked up to 97 mph. He fanned two more Tigers in the sixth. A bloop and flare scored a run in the seventh, but Rodón ended the frame with his 10th strikeout.
Rodón’s eighth double-digit strikeout game of the season matches Tim Lincecum’s 2009 Cy Young campaign. Nobody has more strikeouts in MLB this year than Rodón.
But manager Gabe Kapler took the ball out of Rodón’s hands after 92 pitches and handed it to Brebbia for his MLB-high 59th appearance and a perfect eighth. Doval didn’t look as sharp as he has all August, but got Miguel Cabrera looking at a 3-2 slider and danced around traffic for his 18th save. The young closer loaded the bases but still recorded his 10th consecutive appearance without an earned run.
With two days off this week, the Giants might have more opportunities to keep the ball in their best relievers’ hands. The way things have gone for their bullpen, they’ll need to take every chance they can get.