Offense goes MIA in finale versus Colorado

Sometimes you’re the cat; sometimes you’re the canary.

A day after seeing Colorado bats stymied by timely pitching, the tables were turned on San Francisco as the Giants were shut out 2-0 Sunday afternoon at AT&T Park.

It's not a canary, but you get the drift.

The Giants lost an opportunity to take the four-game series, instead settling for a split as they dropped back to a game above .500 at 17-16. They still share the lead in the NL West with Los Angeles (okay the Dodger lead by one percentage point but the lazy jerks have played two fewer games) with Colorado a game back.

Finishing series has been a frustrating part of recent Giants history, and 2016 is proving to be no different. The Orange and Black are 3-7 in series finales, and one of those wins (at New York) didn’t offer up a sweep or series victory but instead only avoided a sweep.

Giants starter Jeff Samardzija had never won three consecutive starts but found himself looking for his fourth in a row. The loss certainly wasn’t on his shoulders and he certainly did his part.

Desperate to save a bullpen depleted by Saturday's 13-inning game and some embarrassing short starts from guys who shall remain unnamed, Samardzija lived up to his reputation as an innings eater. He allowed single runs in the first and third innings while throwing 123 pitches (the second-most of his career) over 7 2/3 innings. He struck out nine and kept the Giants and emerged with nine strikeouts while keeping his team in the game.

Samardzija certainly deserved better. (Getty Images)

The Shark got bitten himself by a Giants offense that did little to excite the hometown crowd. San Francisco managed to put the lead-off man aboard just twice, and the issues with runners in scoring position continued as the few opportunities presented got squandered.

Nolan Arenado continued to be a thorn in the Giants side; lacing a first-inning triple that drove in the game’s first run. That would be all starter Eddie Butler would need, but that didn’t make the second run any less maddening. The Rockies tally in the third came on three consecutive two-out hits, and Samardzija can blame the coaching staff as much as himself.

We love analytics. Stats, spray charts, tendencies; all of it is great stuff. But like Heineken or Twix bars excess can turn a good thing bad. That’s pretty much what happened in the third.

Carlos Gonzalez singled on what should have been a routine grounder to short, but the Giants had employed an overshift that left the hole wide open. Arenado followed and, with the defense overplaying again, his grounder toward the standard second base turned into a single to right. Gerardo Parra cashed in the chance, fisting a dunker down the line in left to score CarGo. It can be argued the overshift cost Samardzija three hits, 15 pitches and a run. And we will argue just that point.

Giants television analyst Mike Krukow remarked later in the game how it almost seemed unnatural to see the defense in a standard alignment. When it becomes that obvious, the tactic is overused. The Giants have two fantastic gloves up the middle in Joe Panik and Brandon Crawford. Let them use their talents, please.

Arenado's triple; one more reason we can;t wait to see him go. (AP Photo)

San Francisco’s best opportunity had come an inning earlier when Brandon Belt singled and Hunter Pence added a double to put runners at second and third with one out. Butler issued a free pass to Crawford, leaving the job up to Mac Williamson, who has struggled since being recalled to spell Angel Pagan. Williams fanned, and looked bad doing it. Samardzija struck out to end the inning.

We never thought we’d miss Pagan this much. Williamson (along with Kelby Tomlinson) played well a year ago but this season haven’t been able to answer the bell when needed.  In time they may be key contributors, but that time hasn’t arrived.

The Giants got two more hits in the fourth, and again it was Belt and Pence, but Belt was thrown out trying to steal in between the safeties and the Giants didn’t seriously threaten.  They didn’t get another baserunner until the seventh (Pence again) ad two wild pitches put him at third with two outs but, again, Williamson struck out.

There was a chance in the eighth when a pair of walks put Buster Posey at the plate representing the tying run. Posey had the series from Hell (2-for-14, 10 LOB), and his inning-ending fly out was the capper. The Giants did get the tying run to the plate in the ninth, but Crawford’s double-play grounder ended the contest.

Overall the G-Men drew an O-fer in six at-bats with runners in scoring position.

The responsibility to avoid a losing streak falls on the shaky shoulders of Jake Peavy (1-3, 9.00 ERA) as the Giants take on Toronto in their first dip of the season into the inter-league pool. Aaron Sanchez, (2-1, 2.82) goes for the Jays, and the squads meet for the first time since 2013.

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