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Reporting from ORACLE PARK
The San Francisco Bay was a whole vibe Friday night for a Giants post-All Star break homecoming.
The kettle corn was popping, the park was lit. The Gilroy garlic fries were serving up straight fire, and the drinks were flowing.
The only thing not on point at Oracle Park seemed to be the Giants (54-50) themselves, who looked flat at the plate and struggled on the mound in a 8-1 loss to the New York Mets (60-44).
Starter Logan Webb just could not get it going on the mound, surrendering six earned runs in four innings. Webb (L, 8-9, 3.38 ERA) appeared to be struggling with his command, and the Mets pounced on Webb for eight hits.
In his last three starts spanning just 15-1/3 innings, Webb has now allowed a combined 16 earned runs on 25 hits. Webb said nothing in his routine has changed in these last three starts:
“I feel fine. It’s what I get paid to do … So I just got to get better.”
When asked if anything has changed in his routine since the All-Star break, Webb simply said:
“No.”
Webb is in a funk right now, and the start of the game painted a picture of how the night was going to go.
Mets left fielder Brandon Nimmo led off the game with a double, followed with a single by All-Star shortstop Francisco Lindor.
Mets box-office right field slugger Juan Soto grounded out, scoring Nimmo.
Mets All-Star first baseman Pete Alonso hit a sacrifice fly and just like that it was 2-0 Mets after one half of an inning.
After a shaky start, things got no better for Webb, who couldn’t solve the Mets heavy hitters – Lindor, Soto, Alonso and Nimmo – all night.
Giants manager Bob Melvin said:
“It’s just a tough stretch for him. … Like a hitter sometimes you go through a period where you go through a slump where you don’t feel great and your command is not as good and you give up some hits. This is a Mets team that has been playing pretty well and they can swing a bat.”
In their first home game since the midsummer classic, San Francisco was looking for some positive news after RHP Landen Roupp was placed on the 15-day IL with right elbow inflammation.
However, the Giants pitching woes continued Friday, and the Mets never trailed.
In the top of the third inning, Lindor smashed a homer 392 feet just under the Levi’s Landing strip in the Arcade section, stunning the hyped-up crowd at Oracle Park.
Heading into the fourth, everything went all Ozzy Osbourne, and flew off the rails on a crazy train.
Mets utility player Brett Baty, and catcher Francisco Alvarez singled.
Webb walked third baseman Ronny Mauricio before center fielder Tyrone Taylor hit into a fielder’s choice that made it 4-1 Mets.
A Nimmo single to center-right made it was 6-1 Mets, and Webb was knocked out.
The lone Giants highlight of the night came from reliever Tristan Beck, who was recalled from Triple-A Sacramento on Friday. Beck pitched two shutout innings after Webb and did not feel one bit rusty:
“It’s good being back. I was ready for anything so a quick turnaround, coming right back is nice, but it’s good to get out there and help and bridge a couple of innings. … I’m really just ready for anything. It’s kind of the whole bullpen mentality of going into it. After that, we’re all kind of ready for anything.”
Beck’s was an outing the Giants needed since all around him, starters and bullpen are reeling right now.
Camilo Doval pitched the ninth inning and surrendered two runs in a game that was well out of hand.
The Giants entered Friday one-half game back in the National League Wild Card and 3-7 in their last 10 games.
Last year, in Melvin’s first season as Giants manager, the team lost their first game after the All-Star break. However, when the team returned home, the Giants went 5-1 in their homestand and ultimately won 12 of their next 15 games during this same stretch in July.
It’s a theme the Giants are hoping to replicate.
