SAN FRANCISCO — The San Francisco Giants had an up-and-down weekend against the Texas Rangers.
They had just come home after a five-game road trip to Oakland and Anaheim which saw them go 1-4 - including losing both games to Oakland - and on Sunday, they were looking to avoid a sweep at the hands of the Rangers.
Sunday’s game was a roller coaster for the Giants and their fans. From the high of Logan Webb pitching a gem that was one out away from being a complete game shutout. To the low of losing that shutout when the Rangers tied the game in the top of the ninth - after Gabe Kapler removed Webb to a smattering of boos from the crowd who wanted to see him finish the game. Texas then pulled ahead in the top of the tenth and it looked like the Giants were heading for that fifth straight loss.
And then came Patrick Bailey to the rescue. With two outs in the bottom of the tenth and Wilmer Flores on second, Bailey deposited a walk-off home run down the leftfield line, salvaged the Giants' weekend, and stopped the bleeding.
Ben Kaspick, the Locked On Giants podcast host, discussed the elation and relief of that big win on Sunday with Brice Paterik of Locked On Rangers on Monday. Paterik asked Kaspick how he was feeling, and Kaspick said, “I’m doing much better. The Giants got the win, and they really needed it.”
BE SURE to listen and subscribe to Locked On Giants wherever you find your podcasts!
Webb had nothing but good things to say after the game, and he didn’t place any blame on Camilo Doval, who ended up giving up an infield single to tie the game in the bottom of the ninth. He said he trusted Kapler’s decision to go to Doval in that spot, and sometimes things happen. “I had a lot of trust that Doval was going to come in and get a swing-and-miss or a softer ground ball, like the one he got. He got it; didn't work out. That's part of baseball.”
Webb said about the win, “We really needed it. Collectively, as a group, we've just got to start playing a little bit better. It's been a tough stretch for us. Hopefully, this win can boost our spirits a little bit, and we get back to playing a good brand of baseball."
Things don’t get easier for the second-place Giants, who will welcome the Tampa Bay Rays to Oracle Park for a three-game set. And after that, it’s a six-game trip to Atlanta and Philadelphia.
BE SURE to listen and subscribe to Locked On Giants wherever you find your podcasts!