Patrick Bailey's three-run homer lifts SF Giants to 5-4 comeback win over Mets
The SF Giants won their first game of a three-game series against the New York Mets on Friday, winning 5-4. After activating veteran righty Alex Cobb from the injured list prior to the game, the Giants' offense delivered another late-game comeback. They are now 46-36 on the season and are tied with the Dodgers for second place in the National League West, just two games back of the Diamondbacks.
SF Giants starter Alex Cobb pitches against the New York Mets on June 30, 2023.
Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Cobb gave up more hard contact than he would have liked in his return, but luck did not do him any favors either. He surrendered three runs (two earned) on six hits and zero walks in five innings pitched with three strikeouts.
The Mets got on the board first with an RBI double from Jeff McNeil in the bottom of the first to score Francisco Lindor. A pair of throwing errors in the second inning, one by first baseman LaMonte Wade Jr. on a ground ball and another by center fielder Luis Matos (Giants preseason #4 prospect), allowed another run to score.
The Giants scored a run in the top of the second on an RBI single from Brandon Crawford against Mets starter Carlos Carrasco, which briefly evened the score at 1-1. After the Mets took another one-run lead, Wilmer Flores, who remains a Mets fan-favorite, evened things up with a solo home run in the fourth, but that was the last run-scoring rally San Francisco mustered.
To be fair to Matos, though, his throw probably should have been a run-saving assist on a sacrifice fly by Omar Narváez. Matos' throw one-hopped catcher Patrick Bailey (Giants preseason #21 prospect) and seemed to be in time to throw out Tommy Pham, but Bailey missed the short hop.
The following inning, Cobb allowed another run in a weird set of circumstances. With two outs and Brandon Nimmo on first base, Jeff McNeil doubled down the left-field line. Nimmo likely would have scored anyway, but as he was halfway to third base and the ball bounced up against a wall in foul territory, a fan reached down and touched the ball. It was clear interference, and despite the Giants' complaints (and a challenge), the umpires awarded Nimmo the run to put the Mets ahead 4-2.
Taylor Rogers relieved Cobb in the sixth but allowed the Mets to add an insurance run on a towering solo home run from Pham. Sean Manaea added a shutout inning in the seventh.
It seemed like the Giants were heading toward another lackluster offensive showing. David Robertson entered in the eighth and struck out Flores before inducing a ground ball from Joc Pederson to first base. But Mets first baseman Pete Alonso airmailed the throw and allowed Pederson to reach. Then, Pederson walked J.D. Davis to put two runners on base for Bailey.
Bailey sat on a 1-1 curveball from Robertson and sent it over the center-field wall for a go-ahead three-run home run. Just like that, the Giants were leading 5-4 heading into the bottom of the eighth.
Suddenly working with a lead, manager Gabe Kapler turned to Tyler Rogers in the eighth and Camilo Doval in the ninth. The Giants' duo of back-end relievers coasted through the final two innings and secured the win.
The SF Giants will return to Citi Field tomorrow afternoon, first pitch is scheduled for 1:10 PM Pacific. The Giants will send Anthony DeSclafani to the mound against three-time Cy Young Award winner Justin Verlander.
