Giants clinch series win against Padres, score week's worth of runs

The death of the five-runs-or-fewer streak was unceremonious. There was a line drive to center, with the center fielder shifting and playing in fourth-left or quint-right. Then there was an intentional walk with no outs -- I don't know, man -- and another walk and a double and a dinger. That's how the Giants scored five runs in a fraction of a second, giving them more than five in a game since the beginning of the month.

It seems so simple. Teams should get an inning like that every so often. Teams should allow an inning like that every so often. The Giants have done neither, and they've continued one of the weirder winning stretches in recent memory. At least they did it in a normal way, this time, scoring way more runs than the other team. The Padres scored a run or two, and they were probably relieved to get them.

In the middle of June, there will be a stretch of dumb baseball. Save the link to this page. Revisit it then. Remember that there are ebbs and flows, peaks and valleys.

Until then, giggle and put these games under your mattress. The Giants are 10 games over .500, even though it seems like they were at .500 just a couple games ago. They've won 12 out of 13 games, and they have one of the very best records in baseball. They're closer to the Cubs in the overall standings than the Dodgers right now. Not sure if that's a guarantee to continue, but read that sentence again.

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On May 2, Johnny Cueto pitched five innings in Cincinnati against the Reds. It was three weeks and five starts ago. That was the last time one of the big three pitched fewer than six innings.

We can call them the big three, right? We'll revisit after the All-Star break, but it feels right for now.

Jeff Samardzija pitching fewer than seven innings feels like a poke to the eye at this point. You're telling me that we have to make do with 6⅔ innings of mostly excellent pitching like a bunch of savages? And before a Jake Peavy start, no less. Way to let the bullpen down, new guy.

Those are bad jokes, don't email me. Samardzija pitched brilliantly, for the most part, and even if he benefited from a fortuitously placed line drive or two, he still came exactly as advertised. Throws hard. Throws strikes. Maybe throws too many good strikes, but don't worry about that until you need to.

Samardzija has always been one of the oddest stories in baseball, a wide receiver who didn't strike out enough batters until he did, someone who walked too many batters until he didn't. Now it's pretty clear that he can throw strikes when needed, and the bigger question is the quality of those strikes.

Ten starts in, and we can say that the quality of those strikes are quite alright. Together with the ballpark and strong defense, we can say that the quality of Samardzija's strikes are not in question right now. I know it's the Padres, but ... he's probably pretty good, right? It wasn't crazy to gamble on him, you know?

You get the $90 million confidence, at least. Welcome to another excellent, bullpen-saving start, Jeff Samardzija. Now do it again next time because we're very fickle.

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While looking at all 30 rosters today, trying to figure out different outfielders who might fit with the Giants. There were a bunch with horrific strikeout-to-walk ratios who also had several dingers at the same time, which seems unfair. The Giants should have one of those.

So welcome back, Jarrett Parker. Be that dinger-masher. Give zero bothers about what the numbers say. Change weather patterns if you need to, but keep the dingers coming.

And to think, some of you were pining for Carlos Beltran today.

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Let's talk about the beauty of instant replay right now.

[inhales bag of instant replay]

It is a beautiful rule, this instant replay.

[inhales bag of instant replay]

You want some of this instant replay? It's good instant replay. Let's start from the beginning.

This play wasn't reviewed. BUT IT COULD HAVE BEEN. So we'll start there.

It took a perfect throw, which is what the Giants got. Remember that the next time a desperately needed throw is slightly off ... no, I won't either, never mind.

Then the Giants scored their first run of the game on a replay-aided masterpiece.

And they made sure Matt Kemp paid for taking an unnecessary extra base while down by two.

Look at all those inches. You know, they say that baseball is a "game of specific measurements." That would apply here, certainly.

Now just guess what Matt Kemp is thinking right now. He's thinking that baseball isn't very fun. Good. That's what he deserves after ... getting drafted by a team we don't like ... without any choice and ... traded to another team we don't like ... without any choice. Serves him right.

Also, just so we're clear, Kemp plays right field like Glenallen Hill with soda cans strapped to the bottom of his feet. Good.

* * *

When you run back to left field and throw the runner out yourself with your left arm.

* * *

when you are a stupid baby rookie and you ruin everything

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The Giants fans in attendance gave Hector Sanchez a nice ovation when he came up in the bottom of the ninth. I've never been prouder of Giants fans.

Sanchez was facing George Kontos in the ninth, which was like the ninth-inning matchup of baseball's dreams if the difficulty sliders of baseball were turned way down. Here is a guy who can hit, kind of. He's facing a reliever who can finish ballgames, kind of. It's the ninth inning of a ballgame that's technically still in doubt, kind of. Let's see what happens.

In an alternate universe, that was Mariano Rivera vs. Barry Bonds. And I'm grateful for it.