Rogers twins’ ‘brotherly thing’ helps Giants sweep Pirates

PITTSBURGH — The Giants knew they’d be examined straight out of the gate as they launched into an 11-game, four-city highway journey to start out the second half.

They’ve risen to the problem to this point, erupting for 5 runs within the prime of the tenth inning to beat the Pirates, 8-4in Sunday afternoon’s collection finale and full a three-game sweep at PNC Park. The Giants have now received 5 in a row and 6 of their final seven video games, climbing a season-high-matching 11 video games over .500 at 52-41.

The Pirates tied the sport at 3 on Jason Triolo’s sacrifice fly off Tyler Rogers within the eighth inning, however the Giants’ bats got here alive in extras, with Michael Conforto and Patrick Bailey every delivering two-run doubles off Yerry De Los Santos to assist San Francisco end off its first three-game sweep at Pittsburgh since 2017.

“I feel it speaks to the membership’s resilience,” supervisor Gabe Kapler stated. “I feel that’s nonetheless the true character of this workforce. I feel it speaks to an unselfish, team-first mentality that was actually the important thing to our [107-win] season in 2021. … Everyone desires the massive second, however what we’re actually attempting to do is go the baton to the following hitter within the lineup, give the ball to the following reliever coming into the sport and simply belief {that a} 26-man puzzle goes to suit collectively properly and win a variety of baseball video games.”

The Giants overcame a uncommon stumble from Rogers, who entered Sunday with a 1.67 ERA since Could 5 however couldn’t protect a one-run lead after permitting the primary three batters he confronted to succeed in base within the eighth. Andrew McCutchen led off with a single, and Rogers issued back-to-back walks to Carlos Santana and Henry Davis to load the bases with no outs for Triolo, who lifted a game-tying sacrifice fly to proper discipline.

Kapler subsequently introduced in Rogers’ twin brother Taylor, who managed to restrict the harm by placing out Tucupita Marcano and Jason Delay on sweepers to finish the inning. Tyler watched his brother bail him out from the highest step of the Giants’ dugout, clapping arduous after Taylor efficiently labored his means out of the jam.

“I didn’t actually have a look at it any totally different,” stated Taylor, who has a 1.27 ERA over his final 32 appearances. “It’s in all probability storyline, however it’s nonetheless the identical. You are feeling good if you strand runners for any individual, and you’re feeling unhealthy if you don’t.”

Whereas Taylor downplayed the second, different members of the Giants considered it as one of many highlights of the afternoon.

“That was actually cool,” third baseman J.D. Davis stated. “It was a brotherly factor. I believed it was somebody simply passing the baton and getting outs and doing each their jobs and giving us a chance to get again in there and swing the bats.”

Left-hander Alex Wooden and rookie Tristan Beck mixed to permit two runs over seven innings in what was primarily a tandem begin for the Giants. Wooden, who returned to the rotation after a quick stint as a bulk-inning reliever, gave up one run on 5 hits over 3 2/3 innings in his first begin since June 22.

“I used to be actually blissful that I received to get the beginning right now,” Wooden stated. “I threw OK. My slider was good. Simply extra strikes. Not a complete lot of arduous contact. Type of the identical factor they did to me final time. Had just a few walks and a few infield hits. However I felt good total out of the break. My physique feels good, so I’ll carry on going.”

The lone run in opposition to Wooden got here within the second, when the Pirates loaded the bases with two outs and opened the scoring on former Giants prospect Bryan Reynolds’ infield single up the center. The 32-year-old veteran retired the following six batters he confronted, however he was lifted after issuing a two-out stroll to Jason Delay within the fourth.

“Woody was a complete professional,” Kapler stated. “I don’t assume that outing essentially went precisely the best way he wished it to go, however he grinded via some innings for us, which was large. After which Tristan Beck got here in and picked him up. They took us via the majority of the sport. Very nice job by our bullpen typically. It was an amazing collection out of the break, and a really team-first mentality collection.”

With the primary leg of their longest highway journey of the season within the books, the Giants will now head to Cincinnati, the place they’ll kick off a four-game collection at Nice American Ball Park on Monday night time. Logan Webb, who ended the primary half with a Main League-high 126 innings, will begin the collection opener and might be adopted by Anthony DeSclafani, Ross Stripling and Alex Cobb.