San Francisco Giants Month in Review: July 2019

Following their first winning month of 2019 and closing the book on June having played their best ball of the season, the San Francisco Giants would see their winning ways continue into the month of July. And if a 14-13 win-loss record in June was any indication of things to come, Giants fans would be hard pressed to believe the streak that would follow, given their ability or lack thereof to win games early on in the season. However, a streak of 17 wins in 20 games which hadn't been done by a Giants team since 2001, would be just as surprising as it was impressive, especially considering they stood 12 games under .500 in late-June.

Kicking things off with a three-game set in San Diego at Petco Park, a stadium that has been none too kind to the Giants the last few seasons compared to years past, skipper Bruce Bochy would witness his club score double-digit runs at Petco for the first time in their last 52 visits as the Giants ran away with a 13-2 victory in the opener. Those hot bats would continue into Game 2 as San Francisco tallied another 10-runs in a 10-4 win, marking the team's third consecutive game with double-digit runs, a feat that hadn't been accomplished by a Giants team since August 23-25, 2010. And though the Giants saw their double-digit streak end in the series finale, they did manage to sweep the series with a 7-5 victory as Evan Longoria and Alex Dickerson teamed up to hit the Giants' first set of back-to-back homers this year. It would be a memorable series for Longo who clubbed home runs in all three games of the series, including two in Game 2, becoming only the third player to hit four HR's in a series at Petco Park since the yard opened in 2004.

Returning home to host the St. Louis Cardinals for three games before the All-Star break, Giants ace Madison Bumgarner would take the ball in Game 2. After tying his friend and former teammate Tim Lincecum for the 2nd most strikeouts in SF Giants history, MadBum would surpass his old pitching mate with a punchout in the first inning. But Bumgarner would see his night cut short after taking a line-drive off his left forearm just two batters into the game. And while he would stick around for two innings, the swelling eventually got the best of him, forcing him to leave the game. It wouldn't be anything the bullpen couldn't handle as the Giants went on to win the game and take the series the following day, two games to one. Winners of six of their last seven games, the Giants suddenly found themselves playing their best ball of the season entering the All-Star break and any fear of the their recent hot-streak fizzling out following the four days off would be put to rest rather quickly as they picked up right where they left off and struck for double-digit runs in their first game back. Hitting the road to face the Milwaukee Brewers, the Giants opened a thrilling series against the Brew Crew with a 10-7 win in extras, clubbing five homers for the first time since 2014, en route to the victory thanks to a grand slam by Buster Posey in the 10th inning. And though Milwaukee would avenge the loss with a walk-off win the following day, it was the Giants who got the last laugh as they escaped Miller Park with the series win by taking the rubber-match, 8-3.

Continuing their road trip in Colorado against the Rockies, the Giants would begin a double-header by exploding for 19-runs, the third most runs scored in San Francisco Giants history and the franchises most runs ever scored at Coors Field in its 26 year existence. Following the 19-run outburst, the Giants' 94 runs scored over their last 11 games marked the most runs scored in an 11-game span since the club moved to the Bay Area in 1958. Leading the way in the big win was shortstop Brandon Crawford who became the first shortstop in MLB history to have five hits and a career-high 8 RBI in a single game. Not to mention he became just the third Giant to ever record 8 RBI in a single game and first since 1961, joining some elite company and a pair of Hall of Famers in Willie Mays and Orlando Cepeda. Setting the bar rather high with another game to be played just hours later, the Giants would only muster a measly 2-runs in Game 2, but still managed to sweep the double-header with a 2-1 triumph. With wins of 8-4 and 11-8 in the next two, the Giants completed the four-game sweep of the Rockies before returning home for a seven-game homestand. Out of the cellar and no longer in last place in the NL West, the Giants were unable to duplicate the same run production at home that they saw on the road, but still managed to claim three of four games against the visiting Mets to take the series, with all three wins coming in walk-off fashion.

Better late than Never - Reaching the .500 mark for the first time this season at 49-49 thanks to a season-best seven-game winning streak following Game 2, the Giants hadn't reached .500 for the first time this late in a season since August 6, 1982. And helping the Giants get there on offense was outfielder Mike Yastrzemski who put an exclamation point on the series with an opposite-field home run to help his team walk-off with a 3-2 win. The grandson of Red Sox Hall of Famer Carl Yastrzemski who had 14 career walk-off RBI's, little Yaz became the first Giants rookie to hit a walk-off homer since Al Gallagher in 1970 and helped the Giants move into sole possession of 2nd place in the division. Next on the list would be the first-place Chicago Cubs who the Giants claimed the first two games against before falling in the series finale. After a come-from-behind win that saw the Giants rally in the 8th inning of the series-opener and improve over .500 for the first time since August 14, 2018, the Giants pulled off their fourth walk-off win in six games, this time a solo home run in the 13th inning off the bat of Pablo Sandoval who connected for his fourth career walk-off dinger.

Beginning a 9-game road trip against the Padres, Phillies and Rockies, including the final series in San Diego under manager Bruce Bochy, the Giants looked to finish the month strong. And while the Friars awarded their former skipper with several farewell gifts, the Giants awarded him with another series victory as they took two of three from their division rivals. With another extra-inning home run by Sandoval, this time in the 11th inning of the series-opener, the Giants collected their MLB-leading 11th win in extra-inning affairs and became the first team in the live-ball era to win six extra-inning games in a 10-game span. With an off-day before traveling east to face Bryce Harper and the Phillies, lots of uncertainty surrounded the Giants regarding the July 31 trade deadline and what direction they'd go in after showing new life with their red-hot July. After dropping the series-opener, the Giants came out on top, 5-1 on the day of the deadline. And instead of trading away their two most coveted assets in starter Madison Bumgarner and All-Star closer Will Smith, Giants brain trust Farhan Zaidi did make a number of moves, but none involving the two names that had garnered the most attention.

While hanging onto both Bumgarner and Smith in hopes of a chasing a Wild Card berth, the Giants dealt a number of other arms and jettisoned a few unwanted contracts while fetching several prospects Zaidi hopes can soon contribute in the big leagues. Sending right-handed reliever Sam Dyson to the first-place Minnesota Twins, San Francisco received a pair of pitchers and an outfielder in return (RHP Prelander Berroa, RHP Kai Wei Teng and OF Jaylin Davis). Washing their hands of Mark Melancon and his hefty contract, Zaidi sent the inconsistent ex-closer to Atlanta in exchange for righties Daniel Winkler and Tristan Beck. Freeing themselves of the $18 Million still owed to Melancon thru the 2020 season is enough to deem the deadline a success for Zaidi and the Giants, but perhaps the best return of the day by Zaidi was the score of Minor League infielder and Sacramento native Mauricio Dubon who the Giants fetched from the Milwaukee Brewers (No. 3 prospect) for two troubled relievers in lefty Drew Pomeranz and RHP Ray Black. Finishing off the busy day and his first trade deadline at the helm of the Giants, Zaidi acquired 2018 All-Star second baseman Scooter Gennett and cash considerations from the Cincinnati Reds in exchange for a player to be named later or cash.

Another notable transaction that was made in the days leading up to the deadline was the dealing of Derek Holland who was sent to the Chicago Cubs for cash considerations. Spending only a season and a half in a Giants uniform, Holland had an up and down tenure with the club, but proved to be one a fan favorite and a good-energy guy for the Giants clubhouse as he even went out of his way to thank the organization and the fans before his departure.

Entering the dog days of August, the Giants who have now pulled within striking distance for a Wild Card spot and currently trail a handful of clubs by 2.5 games, are in prime position to either bolster or hurt their postseason hopes as they'll face a number of teams jockeying for position in the Wild Card race in the first few weeks. And after their MLB-best run of 19-wins and 6-losses in July, if Bruce Bochy's guys can continue their torrid streak into the month of August, we could be in store for some late season magic before bidding their skipper a final farewell.


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