SAN DIEGO — After his Independence Day begin, Carlos Rodón mentioned the San Francisco Giants had been enjoying “actually unhealthy baseball,” wanted to show “slightly extra fireplace” and known as for the group to make a change “bodily.”
Now we all know what he meant.
Rodón pitched the perfect recreation for a San Francisco starter in 2022, Wilmer Flores crushed a two-run homer within the eighth inning and the Giants beat the Padres 3-1, simply their second win in July.
“I had a troublesome begin final begin. I used to be slightly pissed off,” mentioned Rodón, recalling the feedback he made after his July 4 outing in Arizona. “I believe this group’s so much higher than what we’ve proven within the final couple of weeks. I believe we’re headed in the precise path. That’s why I mentioned it.”
In his first full recreation with the Giants, Rodón gave up one run, earned, on three hits (all within the second inning) whereas putting out 12 and strolling two. He was at his environment friendly greatest, needing simply 15 pitches within the fifth and sixth innings and getting by way of 9 on 112 pitches.
With two outs within the ninth, Rodón walked Luke Voit, ending a string of 21 retired batters. Supervisor Gabe Kapler stayed within the dugout, giving his decided pitcher one other batter, and Rodón struck out Jorge Alfaro for the ultimate out, leaped off the mound and hugged his catcher, Austin Wynns.
Both means, Alfaro was going to be Rodón’s ultimate batter, and the at-bat required three pitches. Alfaro swung by way of two 98 mph fastballs and a 99er to finish it, giving Rodón 27 swings and misses.
“It’s attention-grabbing that final time he talked about we would have liked to play with extra fireplace,” Kapler mentioned, “and it’s nice when the man who says that comes out and supplies the fireplace.”
The Giants dropped the primary two video games of the sequence, each instances falling behind early on Manny Machado residence runs. Rodón modified the storyline and struck out Machado three straight at-bats, Machado lacking an 86 mph slider, 98 mph fastball and 90 mph slider, all in numerous areas. Machado grounded out his ultimate at-bat.
“Lot of respect for Manny when he’s on the plate,” Rodón mentioned. “Right now was my day, and right this moment wasn’t his. He’s gotten me, and I’ve gotten him.”
Rodón is pitching like an All-Star, and we are going to know if he’s one on Sunday when full rosters shall be introduced. He would be a part of teammate Joc Pederson, who was named a beginning outfielder Friday, on the July 19 recreation at Dodger Stadium.
Rodón’s rotation mate, Logan Webb, additionally made a powerful case, and it’s unsure what number of gamers can be picked to signify a group that opened Saturday with a .500 document.
The Padres’ solely run got here on Brandon Belt’s bases-loaded fielding error within the second inning. The Giants scored one run in seven innings off Yu Darvish and had been thrilled when he was pulled. Within the eighth, reliever Luis Garcia walked Pederson and coughed up Flores’ two-run homer.
The enjoyment and laughter had been again. The great vibes had been a part of the playbook once more, and all of it started throughout batting follow when the Giants staged a house run derby with most gamers and workers members current — Flores didn’t take part within the derby and quipped, “I saved it for the sport.”
Austin Slater beat Wynns within the ultimate spherical. The derby was Evan Longoria’s thought.
“It was cool. It was enjoyable,” Wynns mentioned. “Shedding sucks. We attempt to hold a superb ambiance on this clubhouse. Particularly with all the pieces that’s happening, we’d like to ensure the clubhouse is strong, and it’s. We’re going to proceed taking steps with that. While you’re round constructive individuals with constructive vitality, you play higher.”
Because it turned out, it was an indication of issues to return.
Belt exits early: A day after hitting a house run to snap a 2-for-31 funk, Belt walked off the sector with a coach and his supervisor after legging out an infield single within the eighth inning. The prognosis was knee tenderness with no swelling — Belt had spent three weeks on the IL with knee irritation — however Kapler mentioned he hopes to incorporate the primary baseman in Sunday’s lineup.
It was Belt’s second hit of the day. He additionally doubled to open the second inning and scored on Brandon Crawford’s sacrifice fly. The Giants had been hoping for an even bigger inning after loading the bases with no outs, however after Crawford’s sac fly, Mike Yastrzemski and Wynns didn’t do additional injury.
Gonzalez huge distinction: Luis Gonzalez was again on the roster and again within the lineup after sitting out 15 video games, and his absence was noticeable. The Giants went 3-12 in that stretch. On Saturday, Gonzalez was 1-for-3 with a stroll and is hitting .302.
John Shea is The San Francisco Chronicle’s nationwide baseball author. Electronic mail: [email protected] Twitter: @JohnSheaHey
