An outstanding feature following the Giants’ 9-5 10-inning triumph against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday evening at PNC Park was San Francisco’s tenacity.
After letting go of four runs on Tuesday night in a 7-6 10-inning defeat, the Giants managed to overturn the Pirates’ advantage within just 24 hours. Initially falling behind 5-0 following a disastrous fifth inning from Pittsburgh, they managed to bounce back. Scoring one run in the fifth, two in the sixth, one in the eighth, one in the ninth, and one in the tenth.
How impressive was LaMonte Wade Jr. for reaching base in all six of his plate appearances, going 3-for-3 with three walks? What about Matt Chapman, aiming for a second consecutive game to maintain his impressive performance? Additionally, Patrick Bailey’s crucial three-hit night, Jorge Soler’s game-high three runs scored while going 2-for-4, Randy Rodriguez’s four strikeouts in two bullpen innings, and more.
Despite the Giants’ comeback victory, the spotlight was on the return of first baseman Blake Snell. Last year’s NL Cy Young Award winner made his big league comeback after over a month on April 19, and the outcomes were underwhelming. Snell ended with four earned runs on four hits in 3 1/3 innings.
Both Snell and manager Bob Melvin were more content with the pitcher’s performance than the box score portrayed. Examining the positives and negatives in Snell’s return will help in evaluating his debut after almost five weeks.
Positives
How did Snell’s pitch count and efficiency impact his performance in the outing?
:
– Snell showed good velocity and command on his pitches, striking out five batters in his outing.
– He was able to work himself out of some tough situations and showed resilience on the mound.
– Snell’s overall health and ability to compete at the major league level were positive takeaways from his return.
Negatives:
– Snell struggled with his pitch count, throwing 84 pitches in just over three innings of work.
– He gave up four earned runs on four hits, indicating some issues with location and pitch selection.
– Snell will need to work on his efficiency and consistency in future outings to be a more effective pitcher for the Giants.
