Giants fail to play spoiler in St. Louis, lose 50th road game

(TNS) ST. LOUIS–THE Giants lacked any desire to embrace the “spoiler” role.

After trading Andrew Mccutchen and losing Steven Duggar and Buster Posey to season-ending surgeries in the final week of August, the Giants’ roster had been decimated and the team’s spirits had been deflated.they were left with little ammunition to spoil any playoff hopes, but if they showed up to auditions for the job anyway, the Giants would not be receiving a callback.

Their flaws and shortcomings were once again exposed Sunday, as the Giants (72-84) suffered a 9-2 defeat to a St. Louis Cardinals club that used the three-game series to move closer to securing the National League’s second wildcard berth.

The Giants hadn’t been swept in St. Louis since 1995, but in the San Francisco era, they’ve never suffered through a September as miserable as this one. Every Giants team since 1958 has won at least seven games in September, but this year’s club must win three of its final six at home to avoid setting a new franchise mark for late-season futility.

The club should be eager to return to AT&T Park after concluding another dismal year on the road. For the first time since 1984-1985, the Giants have lost 50 road games in consecutive seasons as four straight defeats to end their trip brought the team’s road record to 31-50 in 2018.