What we learned as Giants beat Marlins, win fourth straight originally appeared on NBC Sports Bayarea
SAN FRANCISCO -- For about six weeks, the Giants looked ready to ride home runs and strikeouts through a maddeningly inconsistent season. That has changed in a hurry, and on Friday the new approach led to a win against one of the game's most dominant pitchers.
The Giants rode small-ball to a 4-3 win over Sandy Alcantara and the Marlins. They have hit just one homer this week, but have took all four games at Oracle Park.
San Francisco trailed by a run heading into the bottom of the sixth, a deficit that at times over the last couple of years has felt insurmountable against Alcantara. But the reigning NL Cy Young Award winner paid for a bad mental and physical mistake.
With a runner on, Thairo Estrada hit a slow tapper in front of the mound that was going to go for an infield single given his speed. Alcantara tried to throw him out at first and winged a missile down the right field line, allowing both runners to reach scoring position.
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The Giants had just seven sacrifice flies in their first 43 games, but J.D. Davis and Michael Conforto went back-to-back, driving two-strike pitches deep enough that both runners scored. Casey Schmitt extended the lead to a pair by driving a fastball into left for an RBI single, the third run in the inning off Alcantara.
Meet Mitch
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It's been a rough start in orange and black for Mitch Haniger, who entered the night with a .185 average. But Gabe Kapler keeps running him out there in an everyday role and that paid off in a tough right-on-right matchup.
With Michael Conforto on first and two outs in the fourth, Haniger drove a sinker to the track in left. Conforto raced home from first and scored just ahead of the throw, giving the Giants an early lead. The extra-base hit was just the second of the month for Haniger. He later added a single.
Can't Keep The Pace
Anthony DeSclafani was right there with Alcantara early on, but the end came quickly in the top of the sixth. The right-hander had allowed just three hits to that point, but Jorge Soler drew a leadoff walk and raced to third when Luis Arraez yanked a double into the corner for his third hit. After a flyout, DeSclafani left a sinker at the letters and Bryan De La Cruz smoked it into Triples Alley. Both runners scored.
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That was DeSclafani's 84th and final pitch. He was charged with two earned runs, two walks and six strikeouts in his 5 1/3 innings.
The First Of Many
Patrick Bailey's big league debut did end up coming Friday night, even though he wasn't in the starting lineup. Wilmer Flores pinch-hit for Blake Sabol in the bottom of the sixth after the Marlins brought in a lefty reliever, so Bailey took over behind the plate in the top of the seventh. He immediately showed one of his best traits, framing a third strike for John Brebbia:
Bailey, the organization's first-round pick in 2020, is expected to make his first start on Saturday and catch Logan Webb.