Walk-off win likely to set LA talk radio ablaze

Dave Roberts wanted to be a manager, where second guessing comes with the territory. He probably wasn’t expecting the first crisis to come this soon

A Buster Posey-less Giants’ offense flailed away as though attempting to swat a hovering gnat for 7 1/3 innings before Trevor Brown broke up a no-hit bid with a two-run shot. Brandon Crawford then homered in the 10^th to propel the Giants to a 3-2, come from behind win over The Hated Dodgers at soggy AT&T Park.

Ross Stripling was the story..until he wasn't. (AP)

Brown’s first major league homer broke the heart of would-be SportsCenter darling Ross Stripling, who threw 7 1/3 innings of no-hit ball in his ML debut before Roberts lifted him after 100 pitches. Reliever Chris Hatcher needed just five pitches to wreck it.

Lost in the shuffle was the outing of Matt Cain. He struggled early and didn’t have his first 1-2-3 inning until the fourth but appeared to be settling in before a hiccup in the fifth.

Joc Pederson led off with a double and was cashed in one out later on a line single up the middle by reserve catcher AJ Ellis, in for the rehabbing Yasmani Grandal. Stripling bunted through strike three and it appeared Cain would limit the damage, but Chase Utley and Corey Seager ripped two-out singles and it was 2-0 LA.

Cain was able (come on!) in his 2016 debut. (AP)

Meanwhile the offense continued to treat Stripling like Koufax and Drysdale combined. The Giants didn’t get their first hit until he was history. Three walks (Joe Panik and Hunter Pence in the fourth, Pence again to open the seventh) were the team’s closest previous impersonations of a rally.

Cain got through six innings but was lifted for a pinch hitter. He allowed six hits and a walk while whiffing three, throwing 89 pitches. For comparison, Stripling threw his 90^th pitch with two gone in the seventh.

On most nights, Cain’s outing would have been cause for celebration; it more than qualifies as a quality start. But four of those hits came in one frame (and we thought Tim Hudson was gone); that and serious non-support from the bats shifted the spotlight and fed directly into the drama.

By the eighth, Giants fans weren’t thinking about a win. Foul balls got cheers. Anything put into play had potential to, and eventually did, incite delirium. Then Angel Pagan drew a one-out walk as Stripling reached 100 pitches and departed for Hatcher, who got the rude greeting from Brown and sent LA sports talk radio into full second-guess mode.

This is what happiness looks like. (SF Gate)

Oh, and soon after Roberts got tossed trying to protect a griping Hatcher. At least he got an early chance to work on his “why did you pull Stripling?” response.

The battle of bullpens headed into extra frames, where Crawford put an end to it leading off the 10^th with a blast of Joe Blanton over the wall in left. It was just the second hit of the game for San Francisco. Five Giants hurlers had surrendered nine.

On this night, two was plenty.

Santiago Casilla earned the win in relief.

It’s a short turnaround for both squads with game three of the four-game set (weather permitting) scheduled for Saturday afternoon. For Roberts, it probably can’t come soon enough.

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