Too little offense, too much Peavy

We entered Monday's game torn. Do we look to see Jake Peavy get lit and make it obvious he's done; or hope he wins, helping the Giants in the short term but delaying the inevitable?

And then he makes the decision for us. What a guy!

San Francisco was down a run before it ever swung a bat, Peavy ranged from moderately effective to horrific, and the Giants were unable to overcome paltry offense and the abomination that is the four spot in the rotation in a 3-1 loss to  Toronto. 

Pssst! Don't look, but this stinks, Dude! (AP)

Peavy put the Giants in an immediate hole. He gave up a two hits and walked two in the top of the first, crossed up catcher Trevor Brown in the process, and was fortunate the get out of the mess down by one.

The self-destructive bent returned in the third. Peavy's walk to Jose Bautista was his third of the night, and was followed by a 3-2 meatball that Edwin Encarnacion golfed into the left field seats. It was the seventh long ball given up by Peavy in less than 32 innings.

Peavy did last five innings, throwing 112 pitches in the process and leaving the bases loaded in his final (please let it be THE final) inning of work.

He gave up five hits, walked five, and exited with an 8.47 ERA and 1.91 WHIP. This is what "done" looks like.

Meanwhile, the lackluster offense had managed nary a peep against Toronto's Aaron Sanchez, and much like Giants' management we were left with some decisions: popcorn or pretzels; a soft drink or, um, something stronger; stay with this mess or catch "Marvel's The Avengers" over on FX? Compelling stuff.

Ah, we stuck around, the pretzels were pretty good, and fortune gave the Giants some hope in the sixth. Matt Duffy walked, Michael Saunders lost Brandon Belt's drive to left in the lights to put two men in scoring position, and Hunter Pence's RBI ground out finally removed the goose egg.

The run ended a pretty impressive streak. The Giants hadn't scored since Duffy's walk-off on Saturday.

San Francisco's bullpen did give the team a chance; Albert Suarez, Hunter Stickland and Cory Gearrin held the Jays scoreless; but the offense sputtered.

Artist's rendering of Giants season to date.

They did get the tying run to the dish in the ninth. Brandon Crawford opened with a drive to center that hopped the fence when Keith Pillar misplayed it. Two outs later Crawford was still at second and the Giants called on the slumping Buster Posey to pinch hit. 

Alas there was no magical ending. Posey grounded out to end the game.

Over the past three games, which include Saturday's 13-inning affair, the Giants have managed a paltry three runs. On this night they got just four hits.

SF falls back to .500 at 17-17 but stays in a virtual ties with Los Angeles, a 4-2 loser to the Mets.

The struggling Giants look to break a two-game slide on Tuesday with Peavy's roommate in the doghouse, Matt Cain (9-4, 7.84 ERA), facing J.A. Happ (4-0, 2.50) for Toronto. 

Is "The Avengers" still on?

(box)