What We Learned When Soler’s Last Grand Slam Was Wasted in Giants’ Defeat originally appeared in NBC Sports Bay Area
Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Kyle Hendricks started his last game with an 0-4 record and an 8.20 ERA. Through the first five innings Wednesday, the Giants were hitless by Hendricks, who also had eight strikeouts and 13 swings and errors in that span.
That sums up the Giants’ 6-5 loss at Wrigley Field, ending a three-game road trip in the Windy City.
Hendricks was allowing 12.4 hits per nine innings this season. The Giants totaled two hits from him in 5 2/3 innings. What he got was from an inherited runner.
The veteran also shut out the Giants (36-39) eight times, and his record from the previous season was five.
San Francisco’s offense sputtered all day until Jorge Soler’s eighth-inning grand slam brought the Giants within one run. Too little, too late.
The Giants’ top five hitters in their lineup struck out eight times, including three by Matt Chapman and two by Michael Conforto.
Here are three takeaways from the Giants’ second straight loss to the Cubs (36-39).
Second act by Spencer Bivens
Bivens became one of the best Giants stories in recent memory when he made his MLB debut on Sunday against the Los Angeles Angels. At 29 years old – he will turn 30 on June 28 – Bivens became the third oldest pitcher in the Giants’ big league debut. Bivens on the same day also picked up his first career win, allowing one earned run in three innings out of the bullpen.
The start of his second showing didn’t look so good at first.
Bivens replaced Erik Miller late in the second inning. The right-hander immediately gave up a double but later recorded three straight strikeouts. He then found himself in his second inning: bases loaded and no outs.
His answer was a beautiful double play. Bivens then reached out for a grounder up the middle on the next at bat to slow the end of a scoreless inning.
He wasn’t so lucky the next turn. Ian Happ and Dansby Swanson hit back-to-back home runs off Bivens to start the bottom of the fourth. Bivens walked the next batter and was then removed from the game without recording an out in the inning. He gave up three runs – two earned – on five hits, two walks and just one hit.
Hendricks does it again
As previously mentioned, Hendricks hasn’t exactly set the league on fire this season. In fact, the 34-year-old is lit up like a Christmas tree.
But if history has taught us anything, it’s that Hendricks has control of the Giants. Pure ownership.
Hendricks’ 11-year MLB career boasted a 6-2 record with a 2.36 ERA in 12 starts against the Giants before making his eighth start this season. The last time the Giants beat Hendricks was May 22, 2016. The Giants beat the Cubs 1-0, and Hendricks gave up the only run on three hits in 5 1/3 innings.
The only run the Giants scored that day eight years ago, of course, was a double by Madison Bumgarner off Hendricks.
Problem with the bases
The Giants have stolen 24 bases in MLB this season. Matt Chapman and Tyler Fitzgerald lead the Giants with five steals each. That’s a new career high for Chapman, and Fitzgerald is currently in Triple-A after 27 games this year with the Giants.
And the Giants have now allowed 80 stolen bases this season after the Cubs stole three bags on Wednesday. That’s a huge difference.
All three stolen bases came with catcher Patrick Bailey behind the plate, who has been hard on himself this season. But watching the steals, it’s clear that baserunners are getting off the pitcher more than anything. The Giants have to clean this up, they are giving other teams a lead too often.
