What we learned from Canha’s departure guarantees comeback victory over Tigres originally appeared in NBC Sports Bay Area
SAN FRANCISCO – Returning home from a weeklong trip up the East Coast on Friday night, the Giants’ bats reflected a windy, fog-filled night and took six innings to wake up before Tyler Fitzgerald broke a no-hitter. combined to start the bottom of the seventh inning, starting a late rally that ended with a Mark Canha sacrifice fly to the warning track for a wild 3-2 victory over the Detroit Tigers.
The win was Canha’s first game back in the Bay Area for the Cal alumnus, and his first against his former team. Detroit exchanged Canha with São Francisco to minor league reliever Eric Silva on July 30.
For six innings, the Giants looked to disappoint their fans as they began a seven-game homestand, but they managed to outrun the Tigers for an improbable victory.
Fitzgerald, Heliot Ramos, Canha and Brett Wisely were responsible for the Giants’ four hits. Starting pitcher Robbie Ray allowed five hits and two earned runs in six innings, turning the ball over to a bullpen that didn’t allow a run or hit over the final three innings.
The Giants haven’t lost a series in two weeks and took a dramatic route to starting a three-game series with Detroit in the right way.
Here are three takeaways from the Giants’ comeback victory.
Double trouble for Ray
One pitch, one out. Ray’s night began with leadoff batter Andy Ibanez popping up for catcher Curt Casali, and he only needed 15 more pitches to get out of a scoreless first inning. Ray ended up throwing 105 pitches in six innings, both season highs, but was defeated by two doubles and poor defense.
Tigers third baseman Gio Urshela started the top of the second inning by hitting a double down the left field line, and Ray then walked the next batter on pitches, putting two runners on and none out. A wild pitch by Ray sent Urshela to third base, and a sacrifice fly by Ryan Vilade put Urshela up for the first run of the game.
Ray then went into action for two straight innings before another leadoff double hurt the lefty. This time, Javier Baez, who entered the night batting .179, curved right up the middle for a double to left field. Baez then stole third base and scored on a throwing error by catcher Curt Casali. It was one of those nights for Ray, Casali and all the Giants.
Where Ray continued to shine was racking up strikeouts at a historic pace. Ray struck out seven batters to give him 28 strikeouts for the season, giving him the third-most strikeouts by a Giants pitcher in his first four starts since 1958. Only Carlos Rodon (38) and Kevin Gausman (32) had more.
Welcome back
The news of the day was closer Camilo Doval being optional to Triple-A Sacramento one season after being named an NL All-Star and leading the league in saves. That wasn’t the only move the Giants made.
They also optioned catcher Jackson Reetz, recalled reliever Landen Roupp and reinstated catcher Curt Casali from the Paternity List. Although Roupp threw two hitless innings, Casali’s return was not as smooth.
Known for his defense and the comfort of the Giants pitching staff, Casali committed not one, not two, but three errors on the day. Two were playing and one was receiver interference. That can’t happen for someone who is now hitting .190 with .533 after going 0-for-2 and striking out once in the loss.
New closer to the city?
Within a half hour of officially signing Doval, Giants coach Bob Melvin did not name a replacement to be the Giants’ new closer. At the time, Melvin said he hadn’t spoken to any specific players about it, but wanted an arm entrenched in the role. With the game tied 2-2 in the ninth inning, Melvin turned to submarine pitcher Tyler Rogers.
The veteran reliever recorded just one save this season and two last year, but has converted 13 in 2021. Three ups and three downs – Rogers got the job done. It wasn’t a saving opportunity, but Rogers did exactly what the game called for.
Will he be the new closer? And Ryan Walker? Maybe Jordan Hicks? Soon, the answer should reveal itself
