Syndergaard frustrates S.F. hitters
Example No. 839 of how ineffective the Giants’ offense has been lately and for much of this season:
In Bruce Bochy’s news conference following his team’s 4-1 loss to Noah Syndergaard and the Mets on Sunday at AT&T Park, Bochy singled out the Giants’ best plate appearance of the afternoon, pitcher Chris Stratton’s sacrifice fly in the third inning.
“He really competed well,” Bochy said of Stratton, who fouled off two 0-2 pitches before sending a drive to right plenty deep enough to score Alen Hanson. “He found a way to get that run in. That was impressive.”
Impressive certainly characterized Syndergaard. In throwing the first complete game of his four-year career in his 81st start, the right-hander they call “Thor” threw a two-hitter.
Syndergaard ended the game by getting Evan Longoria swinging for his 11th strikeout. Syndergaard walked only one in improving to 10-3 this season.
Of course, the way the Giants have been hitting — they managed three hits in a 2-1, 11-inning loss to New York on Saturday — it’s hard to pinpoint how much of Syndergaard’s dominance derived from his stuff or from the Giants’ malaise at the plate.
“He’s got some of the best stuff in baseball,” Bochy said. “He’s probably (one of the) top two or three hardest throwers as far as starters.”
Said Stratton, without much exaggeration: “His changeup’s the same speed as my fastball.”
Hanson’s third-inning triple (he had been in an 0-for-18 slide) and Longoria’s fifthinning single were the only hits Syndergaard allowed.
“He’s throwing 99, good slider, good changeup, twoseamer,” Bochy said. “You don’t expect to score a lot, but that said, you’d like to think there’d be more than two hits.”
Stratton (9-8) gave up only three hits in his six innings, but two of them came back-to-back to open the second. Todd Frazier cracked a double to left before Michael Conforto drove a ball over the center-field wall for his 20th homer of the season.
The pitch to Conforto was the one Stratton wished he had back. Other than that, Stratton breezed, retiring the final 10 hitters he faced. He struck out two and did not issue a walk. Since the Giants recalled him to take on the Mets on Aug. 21, Stratton has allowed four earned runs in 201⁄3 innings (1.77 ERA).
Before the game, Bochy discussed why Stratton has looked so much better in this his third stint with the big club this year.
“One thing in particular is command, the command of all his pitches,” Bochy said. “He’s not making the mistakes he was earlier.
“He’s working both edges of the plate. Breaking ball, he’s putting in a better spot, especially when he’s ahead in the count. He’s got that good command that he had last year and the start of this year.”
The Giants did put together a 5-4 homestand, and their starters thrived in the final eight games, allowing seven earned runs in 621⁄3 innings (1.01 ERA).
Entering play Sunday, the Giants had the best ERA (3.24) in the majors since June 1.
“Sometimes that goes unnoticed on how well we have been pitching,” Bochy said. “… That’s been a silver lining through all this, our struggles, the fact how often and how well they’re keeping us in the game, giving us a chance.
“As you all know, you see the numbers, it’s been tough since June 1 with the offense. A couple of guys getting hot, driving in runs, that’s what we’re missing. Somebody’s got to do that for you to win ballgames.”
The Giants fell to 19-54 when scoring three runs or fewer in a game. When they’ve scored at least four, they’re 49-16.