For about 7.2 innings, that one-day stop against the Milwaukee Brewers developed into one of the worst continental stopovers. A real overnight guest at the Salt Lake City Radisson, thanks largely to Corbin Burnes, who goes by the name of Corbin Burnes.
Mr. Burnes spent his evening dotting his cutter to the absolute edge of the plate for both right-handers and left-handers, pushing the boundaries of the hitting zone, forcing San Francisco Giants batters to wave on unhit pitches, and interfering in a late inning turn, and generally being good at his job.
He hit 11, walked 2, and gave up a single to Brandon Belt in the first and a 2-out single to Luis Gonzàlez in the 7th, eventually knocking him out of the game.
Because as good as Burnes was, San Francisco’s chain gang of auxiliary weapons also rolled out some dominance, hitting 8 over 6 innings and allowing a walk. The Brewers’ first hit to leave the infield came from Zach Littell in the 5. Their only blemish was a botched pick-off throw by Dominic Leone on Brandon Crawford in the second, allowing Keston Hiura to move up to third and eventually scoring on an infield single by Mike Brosseau.
After seven innings, that game was pretty much over. Brewer 1-0. Not much offense. Lots of deletions. An amazing defense for both teams with the usual suspects.
Thairo Estrada came into play.
The most exciting thing that could happen to San Francisco offensively was with ex-giant Trevor Gott on the hill. After playing with two outs in the 7th round, Luis González was kicked out by catcher Vincent Caratini while attempting to capture second place.
The call was initially deemed safe as González snuck under a really high not great tag from Gold Glover Kolten Wong, but after verification the call was flipped.
It’s possible the umps in New York were at different angles than what the TV tapes showed, or they were able to freeze the frame, ultrazoom the glove cutting the forearm before the hand found the base, but it seemed odd how quick the call was has been canceled. Laces are not considered part of the glove in a tag game. I don’t see anything that would overturn this call.
This is life. San Francisco’s replay problems continue.
I basically wrote this entire synopsis in the 6th and 7th innings. Then, as so often, the game changed completely.
I’m not one to hold grudges…but Trevor Gott owed us one.
Joc Pederson was down in LA winning a championship at the time of Gott’s fiery car crash with a 2020 end as a Giants paramedic—there wasn’t a special ax to grind there—so Pederson stepped out of the box mid-hit and was selected Fan who chirped him a little too loud from the stands and made it personal.
If Pederson had done that Superman nonsense in a Dodgers uniform, my insides would have exploded…but, as Jerry Seinfeld once said, we’re really out here digging for laundry.
San Francisco is now 2-1 and of course the Giants’ bullpen blinked for the second time in 8 innings when Jake McGee threw Willy Adames an awful, utterly awful, no good, lazy 2-strike, 2-out fastball.
home run. game draw. The scale tips back towards the host.
In the 9th, reliever Jake Cousins grabbed two quick outs before giving Wilmer Flores a four-pitch walk and putting Luis González in play…
As great as Pederson’s home run was, I think González’s two-run shot was better.
Joc’s things will inevitably rub some people the wrong way, but it was kind of to be expected. He brandished a hot bat. He seeks power. He hits right-handers exclusively, and it was essentially the same pitch that McGee Adames would soon throw.
For González, it was the last thing anyone expected. A home run in the big leagues will never happen until it does. It’s an impossibility until it isn’t.
For the first home run of his career, it was a direct hit: a game-winner running a 97 MPH sinker on his hands on the 7th pitch of the at-bat-off, 109 MPH out of the bat and pinning it in right field on the rotten pole . Beautiful. As pure as a Four Bagger could be.
4-2 San Francisco win. The Giants are on their way home.