Is new pitcher Fiers the piece needed for A’s playoff push?
Rookie pitches seven shutout innings, but Astros escape on 2-out, 3-run HR in ninth
SAN FRANCISCO >> Giants manager Bruce Bochy doesn’t know all the candidates for National League Rookie of the Year.
He likes his guy, and 26-yearold right-hander Dereck Rodriguez delivered perhaps his best performance yet on Monday night, but the Giants couldn’t cash it for a victory against the World Series champion Houston Astros.
Marwin Gonzalez spoiled the night for most of 40,251 fans at AT&T Park, crushing a three-home home run off reliever Will Smith with two outs in the top of the ninth, and the Astros escaped with a 3-1 win.
“No one feels worse than me right now,” said Smith, who walked two batters to set up Gonzalez’s home run. “Just didn’t have it tonight.”
But Rodriguez did. Again. He allowed three hits through seven scoreless innings — none of them after the third inning — to out-duel Astros 12-game winner Charlie Morton. He tied a career-high with seven strikeouts before sitting down after 94 pitches.
Brandon Crawford’s twoout home run in the sixth inning positioned the Giants to win for the ninth time in Rodriguez’s
past 10 starts.
“He did awesome,” Crawford said of Rodriguez, signed by the Giants in the offseason as a minor-league free agent. “He’s been such a big piece for us, coming up out of nowhere it seems like, just putting good game after good game together.”
Rodriguez, the son of Hall of Fame catcher Ivan Rodriguez, said it’s his nature to keep his emotions in check, even against the reigning world champs.
“After every start, I enjoy it, I think about it. When I’m out there it’s just me, Buster (Posey) and the hitter,” he said. “I have all the confidence in the world. It’s awesome being in the situation I’m in.”
Rodriguez, whose 2.34 earned run average is the best of any NL rookie, has impressed manager Bochy since his May 29 debut.
While admitting he’s not well-informed about the competition, Bochy suggested Rodriguez will be part of the NL Rookie of the Year conversation.
“He’s right up there with any rookie pitcher,” Bochy said. “We keep talking about what a great job he’s done and he keeps getting better.
“It was a beautiful game he pitched. Couldn’t be prouder of him.”
The Rookie of the Year frontrunner is likely Nationals’ 19-year-old outfielder Juan Soto, who is batting .310 with 13 home runs and 37 RBI in 66 games.
The Astros arrived in town for a two-game set without most of the big names that helped them become world champs a year ago. Outfielder George Springer, MVP of the World Series, was placed on the disabled list with a dislocated thumb.
He joins four other Houston players on the DL, including 2017 National League MVP Jose Altuve (knee) and 2017 All-Star shortstop Carlos Correa (lower back soreness).
The Giants did little
against Morton, who had a no-hitter until Evan Longoria blooper a single to right with two outs in the fourth. Morton allowed just three hits while striking out eight, but Crawford sent a 2-2 pitch onto the right-field landing in the sixth for his 11th homer of the season.
Morton had struck out the two previous hitters on fastballs, but Crawford connected on a curve.
“When somebody has a fastball like that you have to respect it and look for it,” he said. “That was just reaction.”
• Pablo Sandoval was scheduled to undergo season-ending surgery Tuesday morning to repair his injured right hamstring, manager Bruce Bochy confirmed.
Sandoval suffered the injury Sunday, ending a season where earned a roster spot in spring training, then batted .248 with nine home runs and 40 RBI while helping out at both third and first base.
“Just a bad break for him, bad break for us,” Bochy said. “This guy really did a terrific job in different roles for us. Was always in the same mood every day. He’s a big part of this club, his energy, his passion. That we’re going to miss.”
• First baseman Brandon Belt (hyper-extended right knee) took ground balls before the game for the second straight day and said he’s hoping to come off the disabled list sometime this week. Bochy projected likely another week before Belt is ready after being injured on July 25.
Belt was wearing a protective brace on his right knee, but said he’s feeling no pain.
• Right-hander Jeff Samardzija (shoulder inflammation), who last pitched on July 14 and is serving his third DL stint this season, threw 30 pitches on Monday, will throw again Thursday, then face batters in a simulated game early next week, Bochy reported.