The destiny of the Giants’ season wasn’t going to be decided by how they carried out on this 10-game highway journey towards the New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies and Los Angeles Angels. Lots of ball nonetheless stays. However the cross nation swing did function an early litmus check, one which tasked them with going through two of baseball’s greatest groups.
For all their wonderful play in New York and Philadelphia, the journey ended with a whimper.
Ryan Walker inherited a three-run lead within the backside of the ninth inning however blew the save and allowed 4 runs as San Francisco misplaced to Los Angeles, 5-4, on Easter Sunday at Angel Stadium, forcing the Giants to accept a 5-5 highway journey.
Walker stepped on the mound with a 4-1 lead having transformed all 5 of his saves on the season, however San Francisco’s nearer didn’t have his typical command from the soar. Walker plunked Zack Neto with the bases loaded, then allowed a game-winning, three-run double to Jo Adell.
Justin Verlander entered play with a 6.75 ERA, the worst mark within the beginning rotation, however turned in a classic outing, permitting one earned run over six innings with six strikeouts. The 42-year-old retired the primary 9 batters he confronted to start the sport earlier than permitting a leadoff double to Taylor Ward to start out the fourth inning. The precise-hander solely wanted 31 pitches to finish the primary three innings however labored by way of a 33-pitch fourth inning, managing to place one other zero on the board regardless of the Angels loading the bases.
The Giants scored the sport’s first run within the high of the fifth when Willy Adames drove in Heliot Ramos with a single, however the Angels obtained that run proper again when Zack Neto homered on Verlander’s first pitch within the backside of the fifth. San Francisco re-took the lead within the high of the sixth with Huff’s first homer along with his new crew, a two-run shot that gave the Giants a 3-1 lead. Adames added an insurance coverage run within the seventh with one other RBI single. These three runs, in the end, weren’t sufficient for San Francisco’s sometimes regular bullpen.
The Giants will now return for what can be an emotional two-team homestand. They’ll start with the Milwaukee Brewers, the crew that Adames performed for from 2021-24 earlier than signing a franchise-record seven-year, $182 million cope with the orange and black. On Saturday, with Bruce Bochy’s Texas Rangers on the town, the Giants will rejoice the profession of Brandon Crawford, who introduced his retirement this offseason.
