Digging themselves a hole
CHICAGO — This four and snore stuff isn’t working out. At this rate, five and dive would be an upgrade.
Matt Cain was the Giants’ third straight starting pitcher to last exactly four innings against the Cubs, following Chris Heston and Ryan Vogelsong, and that’s no way to rest a bullpen. Or win a game.
The Giants are one loss from getting swept in a four-game series after Saturday’s 8-6 downer at Wrigley Field, which is developing a feel of playoff fever. Cain surrendered five runs on six hits and five walks, putting his team’s hitters and relievers in a hole.
“He doesn’t look the same as he has in the past. I think he’d be the first one to tell you that,” shortstop Brandon Crawford said. “He’s not just quite as sharp with all his pitches
when he gets himself into trouble.
“Maybe he’s trying to make it move too much in certain situations or it’s not being able to find the zone. I don’t know exactly what it is. But it just doesn’t look quite as sharp.
“But there have been outings where he has been sharp. He’s made a lot of good pitches. I think he’ll find it again. He’s had a rough couple outings. I think he’ll be good for us in September and the rest of this month.”
Cain made his eighth start since coming off elbow surgery, which he underwent a year ago this Tuesday to remove bone chips. His ERA is 5.59. He has lasted more than five innings just three times and surrendered four or more runs five times.
“Everything’s feeling good,” Cain said. “It’s just making more pitches when I need to. I’m not doing a good job of that right now.”
The Giants, who haven't been swept at Wrigley in four since 1963, are 2½ games behind the Cubs for the National League’s final wild-card spot. They are 3-6 on a trip that began a grueling stretch of eight straight series against contending teams. It’s not starting well. The rotation’s ERA in the nine games is 5.59.
The recent play reminds manager Bruce Bochy of a stretch last August, “just an awful little run,” including a five-game skid and three losses in Kansas City. The Giants rebounded in late August, starting a 13-3 stretch.
But so long as the starters get pulled early, “it makes it tough to get through the games with the matchups you want,” said Bochy, who’s sending Jake Peavy to the mound Sunday against 12game winner Jake Arrieta, who’s coming off seven scoreless innings of two-hit ball at Pittsburgh.
Saturday’s score through four innings was 3-3, and Cain faced the first two batters in the fifth, walking Kris Bryant and giving up a single to Jorge Soler. Reliever Geroge Kontos entered, and it quickly became 5-3 on a single and a runscoring double play that Crawford started with a nice diving stop up the middle.
Cain also gave up a two-run homer to Kris Bryant, just the fourth hitter to homer off a Cain 0-2 pitch. Bochy is losing patience with his pitchers giving up two-strike hits on the trip. Santiago Casilla was guilty in the eighth when Dexter Fowler tripled on 0-2 to highlight a three-run rally.
“Is he where he’s going to be? I don’t think so,” Bochy said of Cain. “I thought his stuff was good, 92, 93 (mph). He made some great pitches, made some mistakes. I’m sure he’ll get better over time.”
The Giants are hoping for sooner rather than later.
“I think he’ll find it again. He’s had a rough couple outings. I think he’ll be good for us in September and the rest of this month.”
Brandon Crawford, on Matt Cain