Giants fans didn’t boo the team as it trudged off the field after a miserable top of the third inning that saw the Reds plate four runs to extend their lead to 5-0. But they probably could have. At that moment, the Giants hadn’t scored a run in 20 innings, and were staring down the barrel of a home sweep that would have completely taken the wind out of the sails of an electric 8-1 start and seven game winning streak the club boasted coming into Monday’s series opener.
That’s all hypothetical though, for the Giants woke up in a big way in the middle innings, storming back from 5-0, then 6-1 down to walk off the Reds in 10 innings, salvaging the series with an 8-6 victory before they head out for a daunting 10-game road trip. Wilmer Flores tied it with a solo shot in the eighth, then Mike Yastrzemski blasted the first pitch he saw into San Francisco Bay with the winning run on third and one out in the bottom of the 10th. 9-3 and a happy flight sounds a whole lot better than 8-4.
And here’s how it sounded on KNBR, courtesy of the legendary Jon Miller.
After being shut out on Monday and Tuesday night, the Giants had fallen back down to Earth from the exaltation of their first nine ball games. The team was scoreless in the first three frames on Wednesday, but the Giants were relentless. Things didn’t look good, but they’ve come back before in this still very young season.
“Based on the last couple of days, when we don’t score for the first few innings, it didn’t have a great feel to it,” Bob Melvin said. “There were a lot of twists and turns to that game but once we got to 6-5, we thought we were going to win that game. I think everyone in that dugout did.”
Most fans would have taken 8-4 through 12 if you’d offered it before Opening Day. But getting to that after being swept at home wouldn’t have been ideal. Now, a 10-game road trip awaits with some real tests in the balance. A win to cap the homestand is a big sigh of relief for everyone.
“It went from what could have been a rough period, to one that we feel really good about,” Melvin smoked softly. “We battled back.”
Notes:
On Tuesday morning, the Giants officially unveiled their new city connect uniforms across all social media platforms. As you would expect, the initial reaction was mixed. Some fans immediately loved the black, purple and orange self-described psychedelic inspired jerseys. Others of course were instantly appalled. And a big portion of the fan base was closer to the middle. Four years ago, the orange creamsicle original city connects were largely detested by Giants fans, until the team started winning at an incredible rate in them. Those winning ways in the connects continued into the next couple of seasons.
The fan base is split, but most inside the organization are pleased. Usually old school minded Mike Krukow joined Markus and JD on Wednesday morning, and expressed support for the new unis.
Jung Hoo Lee has been the Giants best hitter through the season’s first 12 games. And it’s not particularly close. He smoked three more hits on Wednesday, a single, double and a triple. He lined out in another at bat. His seven doubles leads all of Major League Baseball. He’s been as advertised and more this season. Everyone should hear the Korean call of today’s two bagger.