Historic bullpen collapses overshadow strong performances by offense, starters - a podcast by Locked on Podcast Network, Ben Kaspick

On today's Locked On Giants podcast, host Ben Kaspick talks about the San Francisco Giants' historic collapses on Friday and Saturday against the Oakland Athletics. On Friday, the Giants took a 7-2 lead into the 9th inning. Trevor Gott, who has become the team's closer over the season's first month, starting the inning. He got an out against the first batter he faced, Matt Chapman, but things quickly went down hill from there. After allowing a home run and a walk, Robbie Grossman hit a ground ball to first baseman Wilmer Flores. The ground ball took Flores' momentum towards the first base bag. He fielded it cleanly and took a step or two towards first base, where he could have easily recorded the second out of the inning. Instead, he inexplicably decided to throw towards second base, where Brandon Crawford caught the ball but took his foot off the base and tried to tag the runner. No out was recorded on the play. Instead of two outs and a runner on second with a 7-3 lead, it was two on, one out, and a 7-3 lead. Gott then hit Khris Davis, which brought up Stephen Piscotty representing the tying run with just one out. Piscotty then proceeded to hit a game-tying grand slam on a hanging curveball. Gott got into more trouble, but Tyler Rogers got out of it. The Giants then proceeded to lose by a run in the 10th inning. It was the first time since the 1920s that the Giants blew a five-plus run 9th-inning lead.
The next day, the Giants took a 6-3 lead into the 9th and Trevor Gott was summoned once again. Gott allowed a home run to the first batter he faced, but then settled down and recorded the first out. The next batter, Tony Kemp, hit a soft line drive out to right field, and Hunter Pence completely misjudged it. He ran in a couple steps, then veered back and to his right before the ball landed safely over his head. It was a ball that should have been caught. Gott then got the next batter on a line out. Matt Olson then came up representing the tying run. Left-handed pitcher Sam Selman, who has been very good this year, was loose in the 'pen and seemed like a solid option to replace Gott against the lefty Olson. But manager Gabe Kapler elected to leave Gott in the game, and he walked Olson to bring up the go-ahead run in Mark Canha. In a full count, Canha hit a go-ahead three-run homer. The Giants did not score in the bottom of the 9th and lost the game, 7-6. It was the first time in franchise history that the Giants lost back-to-back games in which they had three-plus run 9th-inning leads.
Rock Auto
Amazing selection. Reliably low prices. All the parts your car will ever need. Visit RockAuto.com and tell them Locked On sent you.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Further episodes of Locked On Giants – Daily Podcast On The San Francisco Giants

Further podcasts by Locked on Podcast Network, Ben Kaspick

Website of Locked on Podcast Network, Ben Kaspick