Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports
The Giants will match up Anthony DeSclafani against Trevor Bauer at Dodger Stadium on Monday, followed by what projects to be an electric Kevin Gausman-Walker Buehler duel Tuesday.
Maybe they were looking ahead; maybe they were saving their best swings for Los Angeles; or maybe the A’s were just the better team on one afternoon.
The Giants dropped just their second game in their last 12 in a 6-2 loss to Oakland in front of 35,920 at Oracle Park on Sunday that finishes off a Bay Bridge Series the Giants already had claimed through good work Friday and Saturday. They averted a fifth time getting shut out this season when they managed a couple runs in the ninth.
The best-in-baseball Giants (50-27) had a four-game lead over the Dodgers and were five above the Padres before either NL West rival had finished play Sunday.
San Francisco didn’t have a runner reach second base until the eighth inning and had no answers for 27-year-old lefty Cole Irvin, who was dominant through eight innings. The Giants had just three hits through eight innings; one of them a fifth-inning single from Darin Ruf that was erased when Donovan Solano followed with a double play.
Irvin became just the third pitcher this season to go at least seven innings against the Giants’ offense, which had scored at least five runs in all but one of its past 11 games. Irvin finished with eight scoreless before the Giants touched up righty Deolis Guerra, who allowed two runs and back-to-back doubles from Donovan Solano and Steven Duggar. Closer Lou Trivino put out the blaze.
Bay Areaaaaaaaaa pic.twitter.com/pmNKCnX4Gk
— KNBR (@KNBR) June 27, 2021
It did not much matter who pitched for the Giants on an afternoon they did not have a runner reach scoring position until the eighth — when Duggar walked ahead of Austin Slater getting hit by a pitch — but it was an inconsistent if OK Sammy Long.
The young lefty, making his second career start, struggled to locate and issued three walks in five innings. The A’s jumped on him early and early in the count.
Three singles in a row, the last a two-run hit into the gap by Matt Chapman, plated two runs in the first while Long had thrown just 11 pitches. It was a hole the Giants would not climb out of, even if Long settled.
The Fair Oaks native pitched into the sixth and exited a game the Giants were still in, trailing 2-0 but Long having hit Chad Pinder and walked Matt Kemp. John Brebbia, making his third appearance since returning from Tommy John surgery, also was not sharp and allowed both to score.
Brebbia lost a long battle with former Giant Aramis Garcia, the catcher lacing a single to right that drove in one. Irvin, who had a great all-around game, put down a bunt that Ruf tried to glove-shovel home, but it was too late for another run. Elvis Andrus’ sacrifice made it 5-0 A’s, and the Giants could look toward the LA series.
They managed a threat in the eighth, when Duggar and Slater clawed their way on, but Wilmer Flores lined out to center.
Slater, who went 0-for-3 with a walk and two strikeouts, is 4-for-36 (.111) this month and has not found any rhythm at the plate in limited starts. With Jaylin Davis able to be activated soon, it will be curious to see if the Giants stick with the option-able Slater.
After Brebbia, the Giants got mostly good work from Jimmie Sherfy, Zack Littell and Jose Alvarez, but most importantly did not use Tyler Rogers and Jake McGee, who will appreciate the day of rest before they invade Chavez Ravine.