San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Anthony DeSclafani (26) walks off the field after the final out of the top of the third inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, June 4, 2023. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
SAN FRANCISCO — The Giants were riding high a week ago on their flight home from Milwaukee. But they failed to capitalize on that momentum over a six-game home stand that culminated Sunday with their second loss in three games to the Baltimore Orioles.
Whatever chances the Giants had at salvaging one series win this home stand were sapped in the third inning, as Anthony DeSclafani lost the ability to locate, Baltimore brought 12 batters to the plate, and the Orioles scored six runs, knocking San Francisco’s starter from the game and taking a commanding early lead.
With an 8-3 loss, the Giants (29-30) dropped two of three to the Orioles, lost both series of their six-game home stand and fell one game under .500.
DeSclafani had completed at least five innings and hadn’t issued more than two walks in all of his first 11 starts this season, but both streaks were snapped Sunday. Only Juan Marichal (23, 1968) and Madison Bumgarner (17, 2017) had reeled off more consecutive starts of five-plus innings and two or fewer walks to begin a season.
The third inning began with a leadoff walk to catcher James McCann, the Orioles’ No. 8 hitter, and didn’t end until McCann came to bat again — and was hit in the hand by a DeSclafani sinker that ran up and in. DeSclafani labored through 38 pitches in the inning, only 20 of which found the strike zone. He issued three walks, all of which came around to score.
Four of the runs scored with two outs, and three came around to score after DeSclafani wasn’t able to put away rookie Josh Lester, in his third career game, who lined a single to center on the ninth pitch of his at-bat. The single had already plated two, and a bobble by cutoff man Brett Wisely on a low throw by Austin Slater allowed a third run to cross the plate.
DeSclafani was credited with five earned runs, tying a season-high and raising his ERA to 3.97. The Giants got six innings of two-run ball from their bullpen but had already put themselves in too deep of a hole.
After starting the home stand by exploding for 14 runs in a rout of the Pirates, the Giants managed to only equal that total over the next five games, dropping four of them.
On Sunday, Orioles starter Tyler Wells had them flummoxed. The 6-foot-8, 28-year-old right-hander set a career-high with nine strikeouts over 5⅓, holding the Giants scoreless into the sixth inning, which has been more than enough cushion for the Orioles so far this season; they improved to 25-3 when leading after six innings.
Blake Sabol provided most of the Giants’ offense Sunday with a two-run shot that sailed well over the wall in the deepest part of the ballpark. Sabol’s home run, his seventh of the season, was measured at 426 feet and followed a one-out walk to Wilmer Flores, knocking Wells from the game. He ranks fifth among National League rookies and seventh in the majors in home runs, coming in fewer games and at-bats than all but one player among the top 10.
Sabol (18) leads a group of rookies that has combined for 57 RBIs, the third-most in MLB.
Up next
The Giants are off Monday before beginning a three-game series at Coors Field against the last-place Rockies, which kicks off a stretch of 12 games in four cities over 13 days. With Alex Wood placed on the injured list before Sunday’s game, San Francisco is still finalizing its pitching plans.
Tuesday, 5:40 p.m. PT – TBA vs. RHP Dinelson Lamet (1-2, 13.17)
Wednesday, 5:40 p.m. PT – TBA vs. RHP Connor Seabold (1-2, 5.40)
Thursday, 12:10 p.m. PT – TBA vs. RHP Chase Anderson (0-0, 2.08)
Originally published at Evan Webeck