GIANTS’ JULY HOT STREAK FADING FAST
SAN FRANCISCO — The San Francisco Giants’ torrid July is fading nearly out of sight in their rear-view mirror after a 5-3 loss to the Washington Nationals on Tuesday night, their eighth defeat in 12 games.
Hours after releasing veteran second baseman Joe Panik, the Giants sent rookie left-hander Conner Menez against the Nationals, but the 24-yearold from Hollister could not halt the team’s recent skid in front of 31,628 fans at Oracle Park.
Pablo Sandoval tried to rescue the Giants, doubling and scoring a run in the sixth, and delivering an RBI double in the seventh. But he struck out to end the game with Kevin Pillar on third base.
The Giants (56-58), who won 17 of 20 though July 23, made up no ground in the National League wild-card race after entering the night 3{ games out of the No. 2 spot.
Menez had pitched well at three levels this summer, including a 5-3 record with a 3.29 earned run average at Double-A and Triple-A. He allowed just two runs in five innings of a no-decision against the Mets in his major-league debut with the Giants on July 21.
In his first MLB start since then, Menez was shakier this time, allowing five earned runs in six innings. He has surrendered two home runs in each of his two starts.
Menez walked two batters in the first, falling behind 1-0 when Kurt Suzuki delivered a two-out RBI single.
After a 1-2-3 inning against the bottom of the order in the second, Menez again started the third with a walk to Trea Turner. A single by Gerardo Parra set up Anthony Rendon’s sacrifice fly for a 2-0 lead before Suzuki hit a two-run homer 10 rows up the left-field bleachers.
The Giants got on the board in the third when Pillar singled, went to third on a wild pickoff try by starter Anibal Sanchez, and scored on Brandon Crawford’s ground out.
But the Nationals got that run back in the fifth when Turner lined a 3-2 pitch over the left-field fence for a 5-1 lead.
The veteran right-hander Sanchez (7-6), who entered the game with a lifetime 3-0 record and 0.58 ERA against the Giants, allowed his only earned run of the night when pinch hitter Sandoval doubled to lead off the sixth and scored on Brandon Belt’s single to right.
Sandoval stayed in the game and doubled in Pillar to make it 5-3 in the seventh.
Tony Gonsolin aces his Dodger Stadium debut
LOS ANGELES — The crowd, recognizing they had probably just seen the last of Tony Gonsolin, dialed up the appreciation as he walked off the mound for the final time in the Los Angeles Dodgers’ 8-0 win Monday night. The cheers amplified the closer he advanced to the dugout, applause Gonsolin curried after offering a glimpse into his vast potential during his Dodger Stadium debut.
The shaggy-haired right-hander held the St. Louis Cardinals, a playoff contender with potent bats, to two hits and one walk across six scoreless frames. He struck out seven and threw a seasonhigh 90 pitches. He demonstrated the abilities — centered around a mid-90s fastball and a cruel split-changeup — that have made him a candidate to pitch for the Dodgers when the games matter most.
Gonsolin and Dustin May, the Dodgers’ top two pitching prospects, are under consideration to pitch out of the bullpen in the playoffs. The Dodgers will spend the next two months assessing their choices. May, 21, made his major-league debut Friday and will start again Wednesday. The 25year-old Gonsolin had made two appearances — one as a starter and another as a reliever last week — before starting Monday in Hyun-Jin Ryu’s spot.
Pitching outside of a hitter-friendly ballpark for the first time in his nascent big-league career — his first two outings were at Chase Field and Coors Field — Gonsolin carried a no-hitter for 4 2/3 innings. Kolten Wong spoiled the bid with a double in the fifth. He was one of three baserunners the Cardinals mustered against Gonsolin. They had one over the final three innings against relievers J.T. Chargois and Casey Sadler. The Dodgers (75-40) managed four in the first inning alone as they pounced on right-hander Michael Wacha and didn’t relent en route to improving to 44-15 at home.
The last time these two clubs met, Gonsolin was one start into his triple-A career and the Cardinals (58-53) completed a four-game sweep in St. Louis. It was early April. The Dodgers emerged from the trouncing 8-8. They have since gone 67-34, solidifying themselves, undoubtedly, as the team to beat in the National League. The Cardinals have since gone 50-48. They are clawing for a playoff berth. The disparity was evident Monday.
Despite their struggles at Busch Stadium in April, the Dodgers banged Wacha when they had the opportunity, chasing him after he allowed seven runs in 3 2/3 innings. The theme continued in the first inning Monday in Wacha’s first start since July 4.