Milwaukee, WI
Giants drop two at Milwaukee, making highlight the lineup exchange
MILWAUKEE — These 4 days of excellent vibes to open September are gone now after the San Francisco Giants dropped each ends of a doubleheader at American Household Subject on Thursday, making it 4 losses in a row and even longer odds to sneak again into the playoff chase.
The Brewers entered the day simply above the Giants within the hunt for the third wild-card spot, so shedding the primary sport 2-1 and the second 4-2 was not the really helpful plan of action. Doing so pushed San Francisco 10 video games behind Philadelphia, at present within the third spot; 7½ video games behind the Brewers and a half sport behind Arizona, which leaped over the Giants into third place within the division.
San Francisco managed simply seven hits within the two video games Thursday. Within the second sport, opener Alex Younger gave up three runs, one scoring on an error by Evan Longoria. Joc Pederson provided the one homer of the day, a solo shot within the eighth inning of the nightcap.
It’s been a protracted, sizzling, disappointing street journey for the Giants, so let’s have a look at some enjoyable stuff for the crew as an alternative, by which we imply: units of opposing brothers on each pitching staffs. An identical twins Tyler (Giants) and Taylor (Brewers) are at all times a kick, and at one level, it appeared as if they may each pitch within the Giants’ 2-1 opening loss; solely Tyler did so. Taylor closed the nightcap.
The twins have labored in the identical sport earlier than, although, whereas the Alexander brothers, who’re from Santa Rosa, by no means have been on the identical discipline earlier than both as teammates or opponents as a result of Giants reliever Scott is 5 years older than Milwaukee pitcher Jason, in order that they by no means performed collectively at Cardinal Newman Excessive College.
Jason Alexander is now in Milwaukee’s rotation and wasn’t going to start out Thursday; Scott labored a 1-2-3 inning because the opener within the first sport. That allowed managers Gabe Kapler and Craig Counsell to rearrange for the brothers to do the lineup-card trade earlier than the second sport, which led to a sweetly awkward second by which they shook palms as in the event that they have been simply assembly for the primary time.
“I’ve by no means finished that earlier than, so I wasn’t actually certain,” Scott Alexander stated of the lineup trade, including that the umpires then stated, “‘Hey, you guys can hug,’ and I used to be like, ‘OK, let’s go for it.’ I imply, we’ve hugged earlier than, I’m simply saying I’ve by no means finished that on the sector earlier than.
“It was actually enjoyable. I imply, clearly that’s a once-in-a-lifetime factor, and I’m simply actually completely happy to have the ability to share that second with him. I do know my mother and father might be proud and completely happy.”
As he was taking part in catch, he saved glancing over and watching his brother do his personal pregame work.
“It was type of exhausting to not maintain trying over to see what he was doing,” Scott Alexander stated. “I’m certain it’ll hit me days from now, however yeah, it was positively a particular second and I’ll always remember it.”
Regardless that the Giants didn’t get to Milwaukee till 1:30 a.m., Tyler Rogers stated he nonetheless received to go to with Taylor on Thursday. That they had breakfast on the Giants’ resort and went to the ballpark collectively, the place Brewers catcher Victor Caratini couldn’t inform them aside, a standard incidence.
One other constructive together with the baseball brothers and the Pederson homer was Sean Hjelle’s work in Sport 2. Hjelle was known as up because the twenty ninth man for the doubleheader however made a pleasant case for himself as an choice to fill Alex Wooden’s rotation spot if Wooden stays on the IL with a shoulder impingement. Hjelle, who’d stated earlier within the day that he’s relishing the chance to point out what he can do for this yr and subsequent, went 5 innings and allowed three hits and two walks and struck out six whereas giving up one run.
He additionally confirmed higher velocity together with his sinker, hitting 96 mph. Kapler stated one key might be for Hjelle to have the ability to present that type of velocity deep into video games, however he known as the outing “actually promising,” and stated the crew is discussing what’s subsequent for Hjelle.
Hjelle’s closing pitch struck Luis Urias on the top, however Urias remained within the sport and Hjelle appreciated Mikwaukee supervisor Craig Counsell catching his eye and giving him somewhat thumb’s up that Urias was all proper. “I am actually glad Luis is OK,” stated Hjelle, who’d almost hit Urias in his earlier at-bat, too. “It is an unlucky a part of baseball.”
After the lockout-prompted doubleheader, the Giants may want a contemporary arm in Chicago. The crew had Shelby Miller on the taxi squad and he could possibly be an possibility ought to San Francisco determine to make a transfer.
Utilizing an adjusted slider grip, Miller, 31, has been pitching nicely at Triple-A Sacramento, permitting one run over his previous 11 ⅓ innings, giving up 5 hits, putting out 18 and strolling 5.
Miller had different choices after requesting his launch from the Yankees however selected the Giants as a result of “they’ve reinvented some guys’ careers,” he stated, whereas including, “I’ve performed in opposition to the Giants so much and I like the whole lot concerning the metropolis and the stadium and the group.”
Susan Slusser covers the Giants for The San Francisco Chronicle. E-mail: sslusser@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @susanslusser