After not scoring in the first 17 innings of their season, the Giants improbably found themselves in a position to rally Friday night.
San Diego Padres pitcher Kirby Yates hit Giants catcher Erik Kratz to load the bases with one out. Yates then struck out Gerado Parra looking, and had Brandon Belt down to his last strike.
Belt thought he took ball two, but home plate umpire Lance Barksdale saw it differently.
You be the ump: ball or strike? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/nQciECwmYU— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) March 30, 2019
Belt (and Parra) understandably weren't happy with the calls, but the Giants offense didn't muster much of anything before the ninth inning.
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Two of their six hits on the evening came in the top of the ninth, including their first run. Evan Longoria led off the inning with a solo home run, driving in and scoring the Giants' first run of the season.
🚨 THE GIANTS SCORED A RUN! I REPEAT: THE GIANTS SCORED A RUN 🚨 pic.twitter.com/O18MhboQr4— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) March 30, 2019
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That kick-started a mini-rally. Joe Panik singled, Duggar walked and Kratz was hit. Parra and Belt's at-bats marked the fourth and fifth times, respectively, the Giants had runners in scoring position Friday night.
And even as Parra and Belt disagreed, their plate appearances marked the fourth and fifth times, respectively, the Giants didn't capitalize.
