SAN FRANCISCO — As Brandon Crawford constructed his Gold Glove resume, the San Francisco Giants shortstop had the will to pitch. He repeatedly joked in regards to the chance.
One day after turning into the fourth participant within the franchise’s San Francisco period to play in 1,600 video games, Crawford – the brother-in-law of pitcher Gerrit Cole of the New York Yankees – lastly obtained his probability. Manager Gabe Kapler used him to get the ultimate three outs in a 13-3 blowout win over the Chicago Cubs on Sunday.
“It’s always been something I’ve wanted to do,” Crawford mentioned. “I pitched in high school and I pitched in college a little bit. And I’ve always thrown flat grounds and stuff like that, just messing around.”
The Giants have been allowed to have some enjoyable after shedding six of the earlier 10 video games and confronted with being swept at dwelling for the primary time this season.
Seeing the curly-haired Crawford trot out to the mound was the most important spotlight, and had the Oracle Park crowd roaring.
After a quick warm-up within the batting cage, Crawford obtained off to a shaky begin. He threw 9 of his 20 pitches for strikes and even obtained a swing and miss out of Christopher Morel.
PHOTOS: Pederson, Estrada homer, SS Crawford pitches as Giants rout Cubs 13-3
“It’s obviously a really cool moment for everybody in the stadium, including the dugout and all of us in the organization,” Kapler mentioned. “It’s fun to see him get that opportunity. We weren’t in a position where we absolutely had to do it, but it felt like the right time.”
Joc Pederson and Thairo Estrada every hit two-run homers and drove in 4 runs because the Giants constructed a six-run lead by means of 5 innings.
Blake Sabol added two hits and two RBIs for a Giants offense that banged out 15 hits lower than 24 hours after being no-hit for 7 2/3 innings by Chicago’s Kyle Hendricks in a 4-0 loss.
That helped offset a San Francisco protection that had 4 errors, matching the groups excessive this season.
“It’s a tough to find a game where you make four errors and the other team doesn’t make any and you win a game like we did today,” Kapler mentioned.
San Francisco used John Brebbia as an opener for the second consecutive recreation. A day after throwing two excellent innings, Brebbia allowed successful in a single inning earlier than the Giants bullpen took over. It was the primary time the Giants began the identical pitcher on consecutive days since October, when Scott Alexander when two straight days. Chicago hadn’t confronted the identical starter on consecutive days since 1963.
Pederson completed with 4 hits, together with a two-run drive off Cubs starter Hayden Wesneski within the first inning. He linked for a go-ahead solo shot into McCovey Cove within the third, the a hundred and first dwelling run into the water by a Giants participant within the historical past of Oracle Park. It was Pederson’s twentieth profession multi-homer recreation and first since May 24, 2022, when he hit three towards the New York Mets.
“I’ve been grinding a lot in the cage just trying to find that rhythm,” mentioned Pederson, who missed 30 video games throughout two stints on the injured record with proper hand accidents. “It’s hard to miss time and get back into it. It’s paying off right now.”
Estrada’s third profession multi-homer recreation started with a solo drive off Jeremiah Estrada within the sixth. His second drive got here towards Javier Assad, a three-run shot within the seventh.
It’s was the primary recreation through which the Giants had two gamers homer twice in a recreation since Aug. 16, 2019, when Kevin Pillar and Mike Yastrzemski completed the feat towards the Diamondbacks.
Tristan Beck (1-0) pitched two innings to win for San Francisco.
Crawford’s first six pitches have been balls earlier than he obtained an 82 mph slider in for a known as strike to Nico Hoerner. Hoerner hit a bloop single to heart three pitches later. After Christopher Morel grounded right into a fielder’s selection, Ian Happ flew out and Dansby Swanson fouled out.
Despite his lengthy want to pitch, Crawford mentioned he was torn in regards to the thought when Kapler approached him.
“I only played shortstop my whole career. That was something I thought about,” Crawford mentioned. “But I doubt many guys have played only shortstop for 1,600 games and pitched one game. On a list by myself there.”
Yan Gomes had two hits for the Cubs, who failed to attain within the first inning after Mike Tauchman doubled on the sport’s second pitch and Christopher Morel drew a one-out stroll.
Wesneski (2-4) allowed 4 hits and 5 runs in three innings. He is winless since April 27.
GETTING HELP
Two of the Cubs’ runs have been unearned and got here after errors by the Giants. Their third run got here by way of a replay evaluate within the third.
Estrada fielded Gomes’ one-out grounder and flipped the ball to shortstop Casey Schmitt, who began in place Crawford. Schmitt, whose fielding error an inning earlier led to Chicago’s first run, appeared to make the play for the out, however the Cubs challenged and the decision was overturned.
TWO FOR TAUCHMAN
A day after making a spectacular diving backhanded catch close to the warning monitor, Tauchman delivered one other defensive gem for the Cubs with a leaping seize close to the fence in left-center to rob Wilmer Flores of additional bases.
UP NEXT
Cubs: RHP Jameson Taillon (1-4, 7.02 ERA) faces the Pirates for the second time in his profession Tuesday in Chicago. Taillon was a first-round decide by Pittsburgh in 2010, when he was chosen second general.
Giants: Following the group’s shortest homestand of the season, RHP Logan Webb (4-6, 3.09) pitches towards the Cardinals in St. Louis on Monday. Webb has one win in his earlier 5 begins.
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