Is 'Pyromaniac Pen' trademarked? Asking for a friend

Injuries are a part of the deal in sports. Fans and teams alike understand that. But this bullpen thing is getting tiring.

Once again the Giants relievers were less than reliable. Once again they blew a late lead. And once again the team around them bailed them out. San Francisco had to battle way too much against a team that isn't anywhere close to being a contender, but a win is a win and the Giants got one; 5-4 in 11 innings at Arizona. 

Ramiro Pena accepts congrats from Roberto Kelly. They forgot who was warming up. (AP Photo)

The win helped the Orange and Black stay five games ahead of Los Angeles in the NL West. Despite playing just .500 ball over the last 10 games, the Giants are 52-32 with the much needed All-Star Break on the horizon.

It was a makeshift lineup thanks to Gregor Blanco and Angel Pagan becoming late scratches, Blanco with a gimpy knee and Pagan just in need of rest. With Denard Span already on the shelf with neck stiffness, the Giants backed starting pitcher Albert Suarez with an outfield that featured a first baseman and two corner guys who started the season in AAA. 

Bruce Bochy must really like a challenge.

Just one player in Sunday's lineup was starting at the position he held on opening day, and six of the starters, including pitcher Albert Suarez, weren't even on the roster. And still, the island of misfit toys was poised for easy victory until (say it together) the bullpen screwed it up. Too bad one of those plucky call-ups can't pitch relief.

The Giants were hamstrung (sorry) by injury; and any outfield with Brandon Belt in left and Jarrett Parker in center isn't going to cover a lot of ground. That lack of range was evident in the Arizona second when back-to back doubles, one directed toward each of the aforementioned, gave the D-backs a 1-0 lead.  It's not that plays were butchered; they weren't. It's just that all the holes got that much bigger.

One thing shuffling the lineup did accomplish was creating some action up top. Hitters one through four reached base just four times in the first two games of the series. On Sunday those spots had six hits and four walks.

After leaving the bases loaded in the top of the first (they'd leave 10 over the course of the game) the Giants capitalized on a similar situation two innings later. 

Grant Green and Belt both lined singles and Brandon Crawford was hit by a pitch, so D-Backs starter Robbie Ray received a quick visit from pitching coach Mike Butcher. Whatever he said needs to be recorded for posterity and repeated to all opposing arms because Mac Williamson promptly bounced a single through the box to give the good guys a 2-1 lead.

San Francisco added on in the fourth. Suarez singled and Ruben Tejada drove a Ray pitch off the wall in center to put two in scoring position with one out. Grant Green's fly ball wasn't deep enough to plate the pitcher, but Belt's opposite-field drive eluded a diving Brandon Drury (this game was just lousy with Brandons) and both men scored. Giants 4, Snakes 1.

We interrupt this diatribe to marvel at the defensive wizardry of Brandon Crawford. We now return you to our regularly-scheduled rant.

Suarez had gotten away with a few hangers but started getting roughed up in the sixth. Paul Goldschmidt opened the fifth with a solo blast to dead center, and Lamb hit another that chased Parker to the wall. A groundout and strikeout kept the score 4-2 Giants, but Suarez (6IP, 2R, 5K, 0BB) had thrown 104 pitches.

Aren't we sick of this act yet? (AP Photo)

The bullpen would be asked to get the last nine outs. Oh, Dear God,

George Kontos gave up Drury's bolt to the corner that Belt ran down, then a single by Tuffy Gosewisch was hit the same way and almost as hard. A wild pitch moved the runner up a base, but Kontos wriggled off the hook with a strikeout of Chris Hermann and Jean Segura's comebacker. Three outs, one shot of Mezcal. A tradition is born.

Cory Gearrin saw the heart of the order in the eighth. A one out error by Posey put Goldschmidt on base and brought up Lamb as the tying run. Goldschmidt stole second, which didn't matter a lick when Lamb lined one over the wall. 

To be fair, the ball hit the top of the wall and kpt going. At least Williamson didn;t get a chance to knock this one over. Regardless, it was a tie game; and we needed another bottle. So did Suarez, who had his second straight start ruined by crappy relief. It was the 16th blown save or hold for the Giants pen; only Cincinnati has been worse. It was also the second straight game in which a two-run lead evaporated in the eighth.

Worse, it matters not whom the Giants send out there; they are equal opportunity foul-ups. There is no reliever San Francisco can confidently send into the fire, or trust not to spark one himself.

Each team worked through a walk in the ninth (Hunter Strickland did the honors for SF) but the score held into extras.

The Giants hadn't had a base hit since the fourth but broke the skid in style. Jarrett Parker opened the 11th with a walk against Enrique Burgos and Ramiro "Crash" Pena avoided Mac Williamson long enough to lace an RBI double into the right field corner. Ruben Tejada sacrificed him to third, and Pagan was asked to hit for Green. He struck out. So much for  situational hitting. Belt popped out to end the inning.

Good news: the Giants had a 5-4 lead. Bad news: Santiago Casilla came in to pitch. It's a good thing Corner Liquors delivers.

Tomas singled to start the inning, Gosselin sacrificed, and the equalizer was in scoring position after four pitches. The next toss saw Casilla wild pitch Tomas to third, and we we were all out of booze. Drury bounced to third and Tomas had to hold, bringing Saturday's villain, Wellington Castillo, to the plate. Casilla walked him on four pitches to put the winning run on base for Peter O'Brien, whom Casilla struck out to end Friday's tilt. Casilla got him swinging. Again. Finally.

Don't get to worked up about it. O'Brien is hitting .123, although four of his seven hits have left the yard. After being K'd by Casilla twice in three nights we believe he was optioned back to the Cape Cod League for a case of baseballs and an autographed photo of Jessica Biel.

Torture? Yeah, William Wallace got better treatment.

Josh Osich, believe it or not, got the win after pitching the Arizona half 10th. Incredulously, Casilla got credit for a save, his 19th.

Belt and Green each had two of the Giants' nine hits, including Belt's league-leading 26th double. Pena, Suarez, Williamson, Tejada and Buster Posey divided the rest.

The Giants return home on Monday to start a six-game homestand leading into the break. Colorado comes calling first, with Jake Peavy (4-7, 5.33 ERA)  hoping to bounce back from his nightmare outing last week versus Oakland. The Rockies have announced Tyler Anderson (0-2, 2.66) as their starter.

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