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What we learned as Giants' offense wastes several chances in loss to Twins
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- What we learned as Giants' offense wastes several chances in loss to Twins
What we learned as Giants' offense wastes several chances in loss to Twins originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
SAN FRANCISCO — The Giants seemed to have traffic on bases for the final hour of Tuesday night's game, but a young group came away with a result that was all too familiar when all of the regulars were out there over the first four months.
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A strikeout left the tying run on second in the ninth as the Giants went down 3-2 to the Minnesota Twins . They left 10 on base, most of them late in the game.
Right-hander Jeff Hoffman had allowed just one hit in nine appearances this month, but he immediately put himself in a tough spot by walking Brett Harris and drilling Andrew Knizner to start the ninth. A bunt by Christian Koss moved both runners over but ended up being unnecessary. Hoffman walked Osleivis Basabe to load the bases for Jonah Cox, who hit a line drive right at third baseman Brooks Lee .
Lee dropped the ball, but he had enough time to get the out at third as a run scored. Hoffman struck out Victor Bericoto on a 3-2 pitch to end the game.
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After winning the series opener , the Giants jumped out to an early lead Tuesday on a safety squeeze by Drew Cavanaugh, which continued their small ball theme over the past month. It remained that way until the sixth, when the Twins went on top. They added on in the seventh in an unfortunate moment for the home team.
As right-hander Duncan Davitt was introduced, it was noted that he was making his Oracle Park debut. The crowd gave him some nice applause, but Davitt's first pitch got hit into the arcade by Walker Jenkins.
The Giants got two on with one out in the seventh but ran themselves out of the inning. Basabe hit a rocket to right, but Keaschall made a sliding grab and then had two opportunities for the double play. He chose wrong, throwing wide to first as Koss raced back to the bag, but Andrew Knizner — the runner on second — was nearly at the plate by that point. The Twins had plenty of time to get the ball to second for an inning-ending double play.
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Molina on the Mound
With Logan Webb and Landen Roupp shut down and Blade Tidwell injured , Anthony Molina might be the de facto ace of the staff for the next week. Early on Tuesday, he looked sharp.
Molina struck out four and didn't allow a hit the first time through the order. The Twins had just a single and a walk until the sixth, when three straight hits — most notably a loud triple by Luke Keaschall — got them a pair of runs.
Molina ended up getting charged with two runs on four hits in six innings. It was his fourth start over the past month with at least six strikeouts, and he continues to show that he has the stuff to potentially help in 2027. The Giants probably wouldn't want him to start in the rotation, but there's something to build on with his firm fastball, which was up at 97 mph in the fifth inning.
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Night No. 2
Bo Davidson was having a quiet second night until the eighth, when he faced a tough matchup. Davidson's third at-bat came against lefty AJ Minter and he smoked a first-pitch fastball into left-center for a single. The rookie is a good runner, but Grant McCray is a touch faster and took over at first base. He stole second right away, but the Giants wouldn't get another hit in the frame.
Marcelo Mayer was out of the lineup a day after striking out four times in his Giants debut, but that was the plan all along. Tony Vitello said he could play the final four games, including a couple of appearances on the infield.
Four No More?
The Giants got swept over the weekend in Los Angeles , so a win Tuesday would have only gotten them to two consecutive. Still, this was probably their last chance at ending an ugly streak.
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They're on the verge of becoming the first team since the 2022 Washington Nationals to go a full season without a four-game winning streak, and they'll now have to win out to get off the list. The Los Angeles Dodgers are coming into town Friday, so that ship has almost certainly sailed.
The Giants have six different three-game winning streaks this year, although just one in the second half. That was their sweep of the St. Louis Cardinals earlier this month.
