Giants shut out Braves
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[August 27, 2016]
SAN FRANCISCO -- One batter into
the game Friday night, San Francisco Giants right-hander Jeff
Samardzija knew he wouldn't be duplicating teammate Matt Moore's
dramatic feat from the night before.
So he focused on the next-best thing: Duplicating his result.
Samardzija pitched out of two early jams, then went on to shut out
the Atlanta Braves over seven innings, leading the San Francisco
Giants to a 7-0 victory in the opener of a three-game series.
Angel Pagan connected on a two-run home run, and Brandon Belt and
Joe Panik also drove in a pair of runs, as the Giants won for just
the third time in the opening game of their last 13 series.
"It would be nice to get on a roll," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said
of his club's second straight win. "You get down toward the end here
... every game is important."
Pitching one night after Moore came within one out of no-hitting the
Los Angeles Dodgers, Samardzija gave up a double to the first batter
he faced, Braves center fielder Ender Inciarte.
But the veteran escaped the inning scoreless despite giving up a
second double to Freddie Freeman, and limited the Braves to just
five more hits during his seven-inning stint.
"Get them to hit it to (shortstop Brandon) Crawford," Samardzija
said of the secret to escaping his early problems. "That's the game
plan."
Samardzija got a break in the first when Inciarte tried to take
third base on Adonis Garcia's grounder to Crawford. He was gunned
down.
When Freeman followed with his double, Garcia could only get to
third, where he was left stranded when Samardzija struck out Matt
Kemp and Nick Markakis.
"That was the whole game right there," Freeman insisted. "They
capitalized with runners in scoring position and we didn't."
The Braves loaded the bases with no outs in the second on a walk and
singles by Jace Peterson and Dansby Swanson. But again Samardzija
and Crawford worked their magic.
First, Samardzija got a force out at the plate on a grounder by
Braves pitcher Joel De La Cruz and a second out when he struck out
Inciarte. Then Crawford killed the threat when he stabbed Garcia's
hard-hit liner.
"Rocky start," Bochy assessed. "But he did a great job of pitching
out of the jams. Just kept his concentration. That saved the game at
that point for us."
Samardzija (11-9), the hard-luck loser in a 2-0 loss to the New York
Mets in his previous start, won for just the second time in his last
eight starts. He struck out six and did not walk a batter.
Samardzija credited his defense, which played its 11th consecutive
error-free game.
"It's unbelievable, man," he said of Crawford. "A couple of times
tonight, I was expecting to be in the stretch. Then he comes out of
nowhere to make a plan. As a pitcher, that helps you to pitch deep
in the game."
Right-handers Hunter Strickland and Cory Gearrin pitched a hitless,
scoreless inning apiece to complete the Giants' second consecutive
shutout and seventh of the season.
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The Giants also recorded back-to-back shutouts May 22-23 against the
Chicago Cubs and San Diego Padres.
Freeman had two of the Braves' seven hits. His double was his 65th
extra-base hit of the season, matching his previous career-best.
De La Cruz's supporting cast wasn't nearly as stellar as
Samardzija's. The Braves made three errors to go with two wild
pitches and a passed ball.
The Giants took advantage of the shoddy defense to build a big lead.
It started four batters into the first when Swanson, the Braves
shortstop, threw low to first base on a two-out grounder by
Crawford. It was ruled a hit for Crawford and an error on Swanson
that allowed Buster Posey to advance from first to third.
Belt followed with an RBI single.
After both baserunners advanced on a passed ball on Braves catcher
Tyler Flowers, Panik followed with a two-run double, making it a
three-run inning.
Pagan's homer, his ninth of the season, came with two outs in the
second, an inning that was extended by second baseman Peterson's
fielding error.
Samardzija doubled and scored in the fourth, making it 6-0.
De La Cruz (0-7) was pulled after four innings, allowing six runs
(three earned) and seven hits with two strikeouts. He received no
runs of offensive support for the fifth time in his eight major
league starts.
"He wasn't great," Braves interim manager Brian Snitker said of De
La Cruz. "(Your teammates) make some miscues and you need to get the
next guy out, and he wasn't able to do that."
Belt's second hit, a double, plated Posey in the fifth off Braves
reliever John Gant to make it 7-0.
Posey and Denard Span had two hits apiece for the Giants, who were
opening a five-game homestand.
San Francisco (70-58) had lost 10 of its previous 15 home games.
The Giants totaled 10 hits, seven of which came in the first four
innings.
NOTES: Giants pitchers have not allowed a run in their last 22
innings. ... The Braves were shut out for the 12th time this season.
... The Giants began a season-ending stretch in which they'll play
21 of 34 games against teams with losing records. They're currently
46-29 against teams below .500. ... Giants RF Hunter Pence was held
out of the game because of a tight hamstring. ... Giants LF Angel
Pagan hit the game's only home run. The Braves (89) and Giants (104)
are the bottom two in the major leagues in homers.
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