Series Preview: SF Giants vs. Atlanta- a must-win weekend
The SF Giants are... back?
That's sure what the vibe felt like after Wednesday's rollercoaster 8-6 win over the Phillies, when the game flipped from "sure win" to "sure loss" faster than you can say, "Wade Meckler scores from third!" After a gut-wrenching blown save on Tuesday that secured the Giants' sixth consecutive series loss, this team sure needed that kind of win.
It was all possible thanks to the heroics of Paul DeJong, who went 3-for-5 with 4 runs batted in and a crucial two-out, two-run home run. DeJong, acquired just days earlier, has already matched the production he provided in his 3-for-44 stint with Toronto in just one game. Maybe DeJong won't turn out to be the answer for the rest of the season, but every great story has a spark that lights in just the right time. Gregor Blanco's catch helped propel Matt Cain towards history, and Mike Tauchman's home run rob of Albert Pujols put the Giants in the driver's seat in an 107-win season. Maybe, just maybe, something like that happened here.
Of course, that win couldn't have happened without contributions up and down the lineup. Wilmer Flores and Michael Conforto, two of the Giants' hottest hitters, both notched a pair of hits, including a first-inning Flores home run. Austin Slater and Thairo Estrada did the same, and the Giants can't make a postseason run without both of them being core parts of their lineup. Perhaps most importantly, Wade Meckler broke through, reaching base three times and scoring three times. His last - a sprint home that scored despite a sac-fly double play - may have been the most important, a breakthrough for a team that hasn't been able to buy one the last two months.
Importantly, DeJong and the rest of the defense made several amazing plays that helped limit the damage in a game that went into extras when Camilo Doval broke down mechanically. Doval's recent shakeups are something to monitor, especially if it pertains to an as-yet-undisclosed injury. Losing him for any stretch would be devastating to a Giants team that's already hanging on by a thread. But if Kyle Harrison can join Logan Webb and Alex Cobb as anchors in the front half of the rotation, maybe the Giants can ride through Doval's hiccups and remember what it's like to start winning again.
Series Details
Who: SF Giants vs Atlanta
Where: Oracle Park, San Francisco, California
When: August 25-27, Friday (7:15 PM), Saturday (1:05 PM), and Sunday (4:10 PM). All times Pacific.
Giants' current streak: W1, 4-6 in last 10. 66-61 overall, place in NL West (12.5 GB)
Atlanta's current streak: W2, 7-3 in last 10. 82-44 overall, 1st place in NL East
Projected starters
Friday: Logan Webb (9-9, 3.35 ERA) vs. Spencer Strider (14-4, 3.57 ERA)
Saturday: TBD vs. Max Fried* (4-1, 2.83 ERA)
Sunday: TBD** vs.
*Indicates LHP
**Indicates opener
How to watch, listen
- SF Giants broadcast: NBC Sports Bay Area (except Sunday), KNBR 680/1510 AM
- Opposing broadcast: Bally Sports Southeast (except Sunday), 680 AM/93.7 FM, 1600/1460/1130 AM Español
- National broadcasts: MLB Network (Friday, out of market only), FS1 (Saturday), ESPN (Sunday)
- Live stream: fuboTV (start your free trial)
