SAN DIEGO - The Giants have meetings every day to try and find some solutions. The problem: Where do you even begin when your $200 million team spends a weekend getting smoked by Jhoulys Chacin, Trevor Cahill, Corey Spangenberg and Hector Sanchez? (No offense, guys.)
The Giants got blown away on getaway day, losing 7-1 at Petco Park to drop the second-half-opening series against the Padres. San Diego is now six games up in the race for fourth place.
Jeff Samardzija was shelled early, giving up a three-run homer to Sanchez in the first and another three-run bomb to Spangenberg in the third. The latter came on an 0-2 fastball right down the heart of the plate; the former came from a one-time Giant who has spent his season getting revenge.
Here are five other things to know …
-- Samardzija finished with a flourish, striking out five of the final six Padres he faced. He struck out eight and walked none. The K/BB rate remains historic, so there's that.
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-- On the other hand, Samardzija has given up 20 homers. Johnny Cueto is right behind him at 19. Not ideal.
-- Sanchez has five homers this season. Three have come against his former team. He's 8-for-16 against the Giants all-time, with four homers and 11 RBI.
-- Jae-gyun Hwang struck out on a double-switch and grounded out to end the game. His average has dropped all the way down to .182.
-- The Giants opened the second half last season by getting swept at Petco Park. So, this was technically a huge improvement.
