Giants head into All-star break on a roll after Samardzija, Longoria key narrow win
SAN FRANCISCO – As the Giants prepared for their final game before the All-star break, Bruce Bochy was asked if he was satisfied with his team’s performance through its first 88 games.
The Giants were not expected to contend for a playoff berth this year, but a manager who annually sets the bar high was candid when describing his disappointment.
“I can’t say I would have taken this,” Bochy said. “I set the bar a little higher than that. Trust me. To have the experience that we have here, the résumé, the DNA of this club, no.”
Over the last five weeks, frustration has turned to optimism for Bochy and that’s the sentiment permeating around China Basin after the Giants (41-48) secured a nail-biting 1-0 victory over the Cardinals on Sunday.
Since June 1, the Giants are 19-14 and will head into the All-star break having won seven of their last nine games.
“It’s a different vibe, there’s no getting around it,” Bochy said. “Winning brings that, but along with that are big hits. I’ve said that, that brings energy. We got shut down today from a good pitcher but you still have that feeling that you’re going to win the ballgame.”
Frustration has been the feeling at times for both Jeff Samardzija and Evan Longoria this season, but with an impressive week, the veteran duo have helped key the Giants’ best stretch of 2019.
With seven shutout innings against St. Louis, Samardzija lowered his ERA to 4.01 and picked up his teamleading sixth victory of the year.
With a solo home run to break a scoreless tie and break up Cardinals righty Jack Flaherty’s no-hit bid in the seventh, Longoria moved into a team for the team lead with 12 homers
area where Raul Jimenez played a back-heel pass to Dos Santos, who had continued his run. His leftfooted shot went by the outstretched arm of Steffen for just his third goal in 46 international appearances.
The U.S. has been rebuilding under Berhalter, the first American to coach the national team after playing in the World Cup for the U.S. Qualifying for the 2022 World Cup will not start until next summer, leaving the biennial championship of North and Central America and the Caribbean as the first measuring test this season.
Samardzija has struggled with consistency this year, often following some of his better outings with some of his worst. That was not the case this week, however, as he bounced back from throwing eight innings of two-run ball against San Diego with another strong performance against St. Louis.
for a team whose streak of seven straight World Cup appearances ended when it failed to make the field in Russia last year.
Mexico was playing in
its first tournament under new coach Tata Martino. It has not lost a competitive match to the U.S. since 2013, re-establishing itself as the region’s power.