SAN FRANCISCO — Over the last two weeks, the Giants got a good look at two American League clubs that are fighting for postseason spots because of how good they are in the late innings. The Mariners seemingly won every close game in the first half. The A’s have done so in recent weeks while chasing Seattle down.
Unless you’re an offensive powerhouse like the Red Sox or Astros, you’re going to need to win those 50-50 games more often than not. On Thursday night, the Giants and Brewers were close throughout. It was a one-run game in the eighth. Even in the ninth, after a Brewers rally in the top of the inning, the Giants managed to bring the tying run to the plate. But they never quite did enough.
The Giants failed late in several departments while losing 7-5 in a game that dropped them back to .500 on the season and to 27-29 in games decided by one or two runs.
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Mark Melancon was hurt by a double-play ball that turned into a single because a runner was going, but he also gave up three other singles in his inning of work, a two-run frame that gave the Brewers a lead they wouldn’t relinquish. The lineup wasted opportunities early and then couldn’t cash in when the first two hitters were walked in the eighth. Buster Posey hit a grounder to short, Evan Longoria struck out, and Hunter Pence struck out.
The Pence strikeout came with Pablo Sandoval on the bench. Manager Bruce Bochy couldn’t use Sandoval, his best left-handed pinch-hitter, against closer Corey Knebel because the pitcher’s spot was due up in the ninth and he was down to one position player. Bochy said he wouldn’t have hit for Pence regardless.
“Hunter has gotten some pretty big hits,” Bochy said. “You look at what he’s done, even yesterday off a tough pitcher. He’s gotten some huge hits for us.”
The roster management that had just four position players on the bench also called for two long relievers. One of them, Chris Stratton, gave up three runs in the ninth that proved crucial when the Giants rallied for two of their own.
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--- Dereck Rodriguez didn’t appear to have his A-game, but he gave up just two runs over six innings. Rodriguez said facing the top of the Brewers lineup — Eric Thames, Lorenzo Cain, Christian Yelich, Jesus Aguilar and Travis Shaw — was a “lot of fun.”
“They’ve got some dudes over there,” he said, smiling.
Rodriguez mostly held them in check. Thames hit a leadoff double in the first and scored. In the sixth, Yelich crushed a first-pitch curveball over the wall in center. Rodriguez was shocked that Yelich swung at the pitch, a get-me-over offering to start the inning.
“He made me pay for it, and hat’s off to him,” Rodriguez said.
--- In his first rehab game, Joe Panik played four innings for the Sacramento River Cats. He went 1-for-3 with a single. The single was followed by a long homer from Mac Williamson, who has three bombs in his last seven games down there.