Enough of Casilla already; get a damn closer!

Buster Posey's third hit of the night, a soaring blast into the right field seats, gave San Francisco its first, and only, lead of the night as the Giants clipped San Diego 6-5 in 10 innings at Petco Park.

Mac Williamson goes yard; part of the comeback that wasn't. (Getty Images)

That would have been a great lead had the Giants simply released Santiago Casilla as we've begged for over a year now. Instead Senor Suck blew yet another game, giving up three straight hits then balking home, BALKING HOME,  the winning run without getting a single out in the 7-6 loss.

It's not like this blog hasn't been calling for Casilla's head roughly since the discovery of the atom, so we won't say we told you so (but we told you so). Hopefully some good comes if this, and we spell good "D-F-A". Sergio Romo looked pretty sharp on Friday, and it's not like Casilla can lose a job he isn't doing anyway. 

Casilla's undeniable ability to wreck ballgames was offset slightly by Kenley Jansen's blown save in Los Angeles. The Dodgers' 2-1 12-inning loss to Arizona means San Francisco (57-35 and winless since the All-Star Break) maintained it's 5 1/2-game lead in the NL West. While that's some solace, it belies the fact that the Giants blew an increasingly-rare opportunity to expand the lead and clearly have no answer (or clue) at the end of the bullpen

The horror show that was the 10th inning took some of the glare off starter Jeff Samardzija, who got thumped early on and dug a hole (with help) that the Giants spent all night climbing out of -- only to have Casilla start shoveling again. 

Samardzija found trouble early, and we can't say it was entirely his fault. He walked the first two hitters when Dana Demuth's strike zone appeared to be about the size of what must be a very dark and cold heart. A double steal then became a run when Posey's throw to third found left field instead. It was his second straight night with an error behind the plate after going the first 90 games of the season without one.

A bloop single by Yangervis Solarte, the only hit of the inning, chased home another run to give the hosts a 2-0 lead after an inning. That edge grew by a run when Ryan "Jumbo" Schimpf homered in the San Diego second.

The Giants jumped back into the contest when Samardzija opened the third with a solid single and Angel Pagan golfed a two-run shot into the right field seats. Samardzija gave the runs right back, again with some help. An error by Romero Pena was sandwiched between a Matt Kemp solo homer and a triple by Schimpf, putting the Pads back in front by three. Then the Giants started chipping away.

Posey's two-out double in the fifth didn't exactly make up for the throwing error but it got the Giants within a run and spelled the end for starter Luis Perdomo. Reliever Carlos Villanueva was no relief at all; Mac Williamson and Pena each went solo in the sixth to square the scoreboard.

That got Sanardzija off the hook. He allowed five runs (four earned) despite surrendering just five hits. The four walks and two homers probably had something to do with that. He struck out four.

Brandon Belt dives to tag Travis Jankowski. A nice effort wasted by you know who. (Getty Images)

Albert Suarez pitched a quiet sixth but found trouble an inning later. The God-awful lead-off walk and a single put runners at the corners. A fielder's choice out at the plate followed by an intentional walk loaded the bases, but Suarez got Derek Norris looking for out number two. Enter Josh Osich. One pitch, score it 3  unassisted. We could breathe again as the contest headed to the eighth. It was the only pitch Osich would throw. Do you even have to shower after that kind of night?

That should have been the moment all hope drained from San Diego. Hunter Strickland pitched the eighth and Sergio Romo struck out a pair in the ninth as both teams drained their bullpens en route to extra innings, setting the stage for Posey's heroics. The opposite field blast, his 12th round-tripper of the season, gave San Francisco a lead and brought Casilla into the game, so it was kinda of a good news/ bad news thing...and the bad news won out.

Alex Dickerson and Derek Norris singled to open the San Diego half of the inning; it was Casilla at his height of Casilla-ness. With two men in scoring position (Norris stole second as Casilla's delivery mimicked the movement of a glacier), Adam Rosales singed through the hole to the score Dickerson (blown save number five) and put the winning run at third with none out. Dickerson scored without benefit of a it, or even a ball in play, when Casilla first offering to Alexei Ramirez game mid stumble and resulted in the game-ending freebie.

Thus was spoiled one of those feel-good comebacks that can propel a team toward greatness. The Giants pounded out 14 hits to San Diego's 10, lead by three hits apiece from Posey and Pagan, but all anyone will remember is Casilla's ineptitude.

Or let's hope it's remembered. The Giants' front office sure seems to have a short memory because they've been letting him get away with this crap for almost two seasons. He's no #$%*$ closer!

The Giants, hopefully sans Casilla, will try to snap the skid Sunday afternoon with Johnny Cueto (13-1, 2.47 ERA and fresh off his All-Star Game pounding) trying to avoid an embarrassing sweep against the newly-arrive Edwin Jackson (0-1, 5.97).

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