SF Giants lose second straight despite Webb’s gem against Angels
An overpowering performance by Logan Webb wasn’t enough for the Giants to overcome their difficulties against left-handed pitchers Friday night.
Lefty Tyler Anderson gave up no runs in six innings and three relievers finished things off for the Los Angeles Angels in a 2-0 win over the Giants at Angels Stadium.
Webb (2-1) was dominant through six innings, tying his career high with 12 strikeouts in six innings with no walks. He gave up two runs, one of them earned, and threw 105 pitches, 70 of them strikes. The Angels’ 3-4-5 hitters – Mike Trout, Jorge Soler and Logan O’Hoppe – put the ball in play just once and Trout struck out three times.
It was the first time in franchise history a pitcher struck out 12, walked no one and took the loss. Webb told reporters he was “super excited” about his change-up, which had the Angels flailing all night.
All those strikeouts piled up the pitch count, however, and Webb was done trailing by two runs after six innings. Five of his strikeouts were on called third strikes.
“After I was done, guys are coming up, joking with me, saying I was a strikeout pitcher,” Webb said. “I’d honestly rather get seven strikeouts and go seven or eight innings and not give up those two runs. I got into a lot of deep counts. that’s just how the game went.”
It’s just the second time the Giants (13-7) have lost two in a row this season, the first coming on April 7 and 8 in back to back shutout home losses to the Cincinnati Reds. The Angels broke a four-game losing streak and are 10-9.
It was the first of a three-game series and the eighth in a 10-game road trip which saw the Giants win two of three against the Yankees in New York and split a four-game series with Philadelphia.
The Giants have struggled against left-handed pitchers, coming into the game with a .208 batting average against lefties overall and .185 against left-handed starters.
Anderson (2-0) was done after six innings, giving up three hits – two of them to Jung Hoo Lee – with two walks and six strikeouts before giving way to Brock Burke, another left-hander. Anderson, who pitched for the Giants in 2020, threw 96 pitches, 64 of them strokes. He struck out six and walked two.
Brock Burke (another lefty), Ryan Zeferjahn and Kenley Jansen finished off the Giants, with each pitching a scoreless inning. The Giants had four hits and just two runners reach second base, none from the fourth through the ninth innings. Jansen pitched the ninth for his fifth save and 452nd of his career.
Webb retired the first five batters, striking four of them, before giving up two runs in the second.
Zack Neto got the Angels on the board with a run-scoring double at 106.4 miles per hour that shortstop Willy Adames got a glove on but couldn’t handle. It brought home Nolan Schaunel, who doubled to center.
Kyren Paris reached on an error by Matt Chapman at third, with Chapman cutting in front of Adames with the ball bounding into the outfield to bring Neto home with the second run.
It took Webb 29 pitches to get out of the inning and led to his removal after the sixth.
“That’s a really good performance,” Giants manager Bob Melvin said. “We’re seeing him with the added pitches being able to strike some guys out too. It was next-level stuff for him. But the one inning cost us some pitches and also cost us one of the runs. He pitched great, good enough to win the game.”
NOTES
— Landon Roupp (1-1, 4.80) starts for the Giants Saturday night against Kyle Hendricks (0-1, 4.20) at 6:38 p.m.
— Friday’s game was the first time Giants G.M. Zack Minasian and his older brother, Angels G.M. Perry Minasian, faced each other while both held the title of general manager.
— Casey Schmitt was originally in the starting lineup but was scratched with left side tightness in favor of LaMonte Wade Jr. Wade didn’t start for the second consecutive game with a left-hander on the mound for the Angels. Wade came in hitting .102 (5-for-41) with a home run and seven RBIs. Schmitt came in hitting .174 (4-for-23) with no homers and two RBIs, got the start. Wade didn’t start in the series finale against Philadelphia against lefty Cristopher Sanchez.
— Outfielder Jerar Encarnacion (left hand fracture) will be in a splint two more weeks before he can begin rehab and is expected to be sidelined eight weeks total.
— Broadcaster and former second baseman Duane Kuiper has the best batting average in Angel Stadium history (.360) among all players with at least 120 career at-bats. His career slugging percentage of .416 at Angels Stadium is his highest in any ballpark.