SAN FRANCISCO - If the Giants were in a different situation, Tuesday night's loss was the kind that really would sting for a few days. As is, it was simply loss No. 77 in a stunningly bad season.
The Giants went down 4-3 in somewhat familiar fashion, with their offense failing to break through and their bullpen coming up short. But this loss, No. 77, was also about small mistakes, both mental and physical. Let's count down some of the ways the Giants went down:
--- Gorkys Hernandez, a late addition to the lineup because Hunter Pence has a tight hamstring, dropped a fly ball in deep right in the fourth inning. That cost Jeff Samardzija a run and a few more pitches. Bruce Bochy said Pence likely will be off Wednesday and then return Friday in Arizona.
--- Bochy pulled Samardzija after just 89 pitches, and it was certainly peculiar in the moment. The thing is, the intention fit in with the reality of this season. Samardzija has carried a heavy load and Bochy was trying to protect his arm a bit.
"The inning before, he logged some pitches," Bochy said. "I've worked him pretty hard and I'm really looking after him as much as anything. We're trying to give some guys a break and it didn't work out. We had some guys lined up in the seventh, eighth, ninth - it just didn't work out in the seventh."
--- You can't really argue with protecting a big-money pitcher in a down year. But Bochy probably wishes he had chosen someone other than Albert Suarez, who was fresher than others but has now given up runs in six of seven appearances. Suarez turned a one-run lead into a one-run deficit. It was more glaring when Kyle Crick entered and pitched 1 1/3 sharp innings.
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--- The Giants still had a chance - it helped that the Brewers took a dominant Josh Hader out of the game just because he's a lefty and Nick Hundley bats right-handed - and they put two on in the eighth. Denard Span hit a soft single to right and Phil Nevin waved Hundley, who has catcher's legs. He was out by a mile. Bochy said he was fine with forcing the issue there, although that's a call Nevin probably wants back.
Another twist on the play: Bochy could have put speedy Orlando Calixte in for Hundley and then moved Pablo Sandoval over to first in the next inning, with Calixte at third. He didn't second-guess that decision.
"He was out pretty easily," Bochy said. "I don't know if a little more speed would have helped out."
--- In the bottom of the ninth, Kelby Tomlinson singled. He was promptly caught stealing second with the heart of the order coming up. Again, a decision that went the visiting team's way.
Those moments could be defended or second-guessed. On another night, maybe they all work out and the Giants win 3-2, or 6-4. On this night, it was simply a familiar script, and loss No. 77.
