Life's Too Sports

After allowing a series-clinching opportunity to slip through their grasp on Wednesday evening, the San Francisco Giants went back to work on Thursday afternoon in pursuit of an overall record of 7-3. With Matt Cain and Jorge De La Rosa quickly locked in a pitcher’s duel, San Francisco’s chances at a series victory seemed rather substantial. In the first four innings, Colorado’s explosive offense managed only one hit, while the Giants struck first, taking the lead in the top of the fourth on a wild pitch which scored center-fielder Denard Span. In the bottom of the fifth inning, however, disaster would strike for a confident San Francisco squad. First, Gerardo Parra launched a solo-shot into right field to even the score at one apiece. Then, Colorado starter Jorge De La Rosa knocked one into right field, plating a pair and boosting the Rockies lead to 3-1. As though still unsatisfied, Colorado would proceed to load the bases (which resulted in Matt Cain’s remo...

With an impressive series-opening victory now behind them, the San Francisco Giants entered Coors Field on Wednesday evening in hopes of dropping the Colorado Rockies once more to clinch an early series-victory. Unfortunately for San Francisco, however, their starting pitcher Jake Peavy was unable to quite keep pace with Colorado's starter Jordan Lyles (who also struggled mightily throughout the contest). Inconveniently for the Giants, the Rockies struck rather early this evening, courtesy of a sacrifice fly from Trevor Story and an RBI ground-out from Nolan Arenado in the bottom of the first inning. In the top of the third, however, the Giants were quick to respond, as Denard Span ripped a two-out double into right-center field to plate Angel Pagan and Trevor Brown, evening the score at 2-2. The game would continue very much in this manner -- the Rockies would score, the Giants would answer, the Rockies would score again . . . In the bottom of the third inning, Colorado ...

Following an impressive series victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers, the San Francisco Giants flew eastward towards Denver, in preparation for their first series of the young season against another divisional opponent: the Colorado Rockies. The first game of this season series would feature a pair of right-handed starting pitchers, including nine-year-veteran Jeff Samardzija, and developing twenty six-year-old Tyler Chatwood. With the Giants sporting a division-leading record of 5-2, San Francisco’s odds of knocking off the subpar Colorado Rockies seemed to be high, regardless of the marvelous efforts of Colorado’s talented rookie shortstop, Trevor Story. In the bottom of the second inning, however, Colorado became the first team to strike, as Gerardo Parra would trot home on a Nick Hundley double-play ball to give the Rockies a 1-0 advantage. Nevertheless, San Francisco’s impressive early record of 5-0 in games in which their opponent had scored first, held true to for...

Following Saturday afternoon’s contest in which the Giants regrettably allowed a slim lead to slip from their grasp, San Francisco entered AT&T Park on Sunday clinging to the present opportunity of winning a rather intense series against the rival Los Angeles Dodgers. And with newly-acquired ace Johnny Cueto atop the hill, San Francisco’s chances of securing the series victory seemed quite likely. The top half of the first inning, however, brought unexpected catastrophe, and the Giants’ unlucky defensive unit quickly found themselves heading to the dugout to collect their bats, already facing an intimidating five-run deficit. With Cueto struggling mightily, San Francisco was going to have to do everything in its collective power to trim into a relatively large Los Angeles lead against their veteran starter, left-hander Scott Kazmir. And thankfully for San Francisco, Kazmir didn’t quite seem to be on top of his game on Sunday afternoon either . In the bottom half...

With Friday evening’s walk-off celebration now firmly in the rear-view mirror, the San Francisco Giants would turn their attention to Saturday afternoon’s game – a contest that was set to feature two of the greatest starting pitchers in modern-day Major League Baseball. For the Los Angeles Dodgers, three-time Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw would toe the rubber – for the San Francisco Giants, it would be 2014 World Series MVP Madison Bumgarner. And after a slight rain delay pushed the game to 1:45 PM Pacific Standard Time, the two aces were more than ready to lead their troops into battle. In the first inning, the Dodgers mustered three base-runners (one on a double, one on a walk, and one on an error), whereas the Giants tallied two base-runners (one on a single and one on a walk). Although these base-runners created an interesting suggestion of instant action, neither team would be able to score. As the game progressed, however, this highly anticipated pitch...

Fresh off of a dazzling 12-6 victory on Thursday afternoon, the San Francisco Giants entered AT&T Park on Friday night with the sole desire of securing yet another victory and pulling ahead of the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League West Standings. Tonight’s game would feature twelve-year-veteran starting pitcher Matt Cain, and, making his MLB debut, rookie starting pitcher Ross Stripling. With Buster Posey receiving a well-deserved rest, San Francisco would turn to reserve catcher Trevor Brown this evening, in hopes that he would assist in production for a currently sizzling-hot offensive Giants’ squad. As the game progressed, however, neither the Dodgers nor the Giants seemed capable of producing the astounding offensive figures which had been present in yesterday’s contest. In the first four innings, Los Angeles merely connected for two hits and a four-pitch walk off of Giants’ starter Matt Cain. Meanwhile, the San Francisco offense was completely blan...

As the San Francisco Giants plane touched down in the Bay Area for the first time this regular season, the team was finally allowed to shift their focus from the Midwest to their home-opening opponent – the rival Los Angeles Dodgers. Entering this afternoon’s contest, the Dodgers boasted a 3-0 regular season record, and were yet to allow a single run on the young campaign. And backed by deceptive left-hander Alex Wood, today’s game seemed prime to continue this undesirable Los Angeles trend. Indeed, following a pair of unlucky breaks for San Francisco, Los Angeles managed to convert two early strikes in the second inning, immediately putting the Giants in a formidable situation. Nevertheless, the Dodgers did not seem content with this 2-0 advantage, as Adrian Gonzalez batted in Yasiel Puig in the third inning, and Scott Van Slyke knocked in Corey Seager in the fifth. When the bottom half of the fifth inning rolled around, the Giants seemed to be in serious jeopardy ...

Following a closely-contested victory on Tuesday evening, the San Francisco Giants entered Miller Park on Wednesday afternoon with hopes of completing a rare road sweep of the Milwaukee Brewers. Taking the hill for the Giants in their third contest of the young season would be another newly acquired pitcher, nine-year-veteran Jeff Samardzija. On the opposite side of the field, 26-year-old Tyler Jungmann prepared to take the mound for the Brewers. With lead-off hitter Denard Span suffering from the flu, San Francisco would have to put their faith in fifth-year Giant Angel Pagan, who refused to disappoint in his role as the table-setter. Pagan led off the game with a resounding double, and later scored on a botched play at home plate. For the first time this season, the Giants had found themselves first on the scoring sheet.  However, after Jeff Samardzija allowed a walk and two singles to open up the bottom half of the inning, the momentum quickly shifted from Sa...

Following a monumental Opening Day victory, the San Francisco Giants entered Miller Park on Tuesday evening in hopes of extending their winning streak by flexing their offensive muscles once more. However, this evening's contest proved to be unlike yesterday afternoon's high-scoring affair in that it quickly turned into a pitching duel between San Francisco's Johnny Cueto and Milwaukee's Jimmy Nelson. The first six batters for the black and orange were unable to reach base this evening, as the Giants began to realize that their offensive prowess would not become the focal point of the game. Backed by their newly-acquired pitcher, San Francisco would enter the third inning trailing (for the second consecutive day) by the score of 1-0. Nevertheless, this one tally, notched on a rather disappointing double-play ball, would be the first and last score for the Milwaukee Brewers on this particular evening. In the top of the third, Giants' shortstop Brandon Crawf...

Over the course of the past off-season, the San Francisco Giants' front office made a number of aggressive free-agency moves in an effort to help propel their franchise to yet another World Series Championship in 2016. Among their key winter acquisitions were names such as starting pitchers Johnny Cueto (formerly a member of the World Series Champion Kansas City Royals) and Jeff Samardzija, as well as veteran outfielder Denard Span. While neither starting pitcher was called upon to toe the rubber for the black and orange on Opening Day, center fielder Denard Span was quick to make his impact, cashing in with 5 RBIs in perhaps the most impressive performance of the afternoon. 11:00 A.M. Pacific Standard Time. Set to toe the rubber in this head-to-head Opening Day match-up were starting pitchers Wily Peralta and Madison Bumgarner, for Milwaukee and San Francisco squads respectively (a bit of a mismatch, indeed). In the first inning, it seemed as though the Giants' confi...