SAN FRANCISCO — Thursday, Giants president of baseball operations Brian Sabean ripped the team’s offense on KNBR, terming it a “1960’s offense” and suggesting that Giants position players are being evaluated down the stretch for roster spots in 2019.
Whether Sabean’s words lit a fire under the team or not, the Giants’ offensive production Friday against the Texas Rangers was much improved, especially early. After failing to crack more than four runs of offense in all but one game of their 10-game road trip, the Giants put up four runs in the first inning, including a leadoff home run from Andrew McCutchen, and added on late to support a strong start from Dereck Rodríguez.
But though the offense was there, the bullpen was not, conceding four runs in innings 7-9, including a critical two-out, two-run home run in the ninth that tied the game up at six and forced extra innings. A go-ahead walk gave the Rangers the lead in the 10th, and they went on to win 7-6.
McCutchen’s leadoff homer gave the Giants an immediate jolt to start the game. Following McCutchen’s at-bat, the club loaded the bases with none out before Evan Longoria’s infield hit drove in Joe Panik before Brandon Crawford and Alen Hanson each drove in a run with a sac fly.
The Giants added on in the sixth with back-to-back RBI singles from Buster Posey and Brandon Belt. Texas got on the board in the fifth when Shin-Soo Choo blooped a single to left, scoring Jurickson Profar and Isiah Kiner-Falefa.
Joey Gallo’s mammoth solo home run to right-center cut the deficit to 6-3 in the seventh. Gallo added another run in the eighth on a single to center. Profar advanced to third on the play, but Mark Melancon was able to induce an inning-ending grounder to short from Kiner-Falewfa.
In the ninth, Will Smith retired the first two batters before Choo reached on an error by Joe Panik. The next hitter, Rougned Odor, scorched a first-pitch fastball into McCovey Cove, tying the game at six.
In the tenth, the Rangers loaded the bases on Sam Dyson with two out. Dyson walked the next batter, Robinson Chirinos, on four pitches to force in the Rangers’ seventh run and give them their first lead of the game.
Rodríguez was largely stellar through six strong innings, surrendering just two runs on the Choo single, and also added a single at the plate. Reyes Moronta and Melancon each gave one run in an inning of work. McCutchen reached base four times to lead all Giants hitters, and also stole two bases.
