Rays hit Joe Panik, Joe Panik hits game-winning homer

You were watching Tim Lincecum, right? Like, I could write anything here about the first six innings or so, and as long as it didn't disagree with the box score, you wouldn't think too much of it. "Oh, Matt Moore only throws forkballs, gyroballs, and eephuses? That's pretty cool." You would have no idea, because this was a Giants/Rays game, and Tim Lincecum was pitching in Oakland, and he's still a likable fellow, even in red.

Anyway, Lincecum had a good start, if you want to complain about the Giants not signing him. Just because they've won 7 in a row doesn't mean you're supposed to stop complaining. That'd be weird.

* * *

In the top of the ninth, with runners on first and third, Denard Span had a very good at bat, working his way back from 0-2 to get the count to 3-2 and make Alex Colome throw 9 pitches. Colome's a good pitcher with great stuff who had been having a fantastic year; coming in to the game, his ERA was 0.90 and he hadn't given up a run since May 1. Span did a nice job working the count, but then he grounded out weakly, not even giving anyone the false hope that Trevor Brown might have been able to score from third. It was an uninspiring result after a nice process, and pretty deflating to Giants fans everywhere.

Then Colome hung a slider, and Joe Panik hit a three run homer. Those were both good decisions, I say.

If you'll remember, the second Giants run came in on an 0-2 HBP with the bases loaded. The pitch was a fastball that nailed Joe Panik in the side of the helmet. The Giants then proceeded to not score another run because of bad luck, bad baserunning, and nice defense from Corey Dickerson in right field, but the good news at the time was that Joe Panik didn't get hurt after being hit in the head with a pitch. Considering that that pitch came in at 92, that's very, very good news, and not something to be taken for granted.

Albert Suarez had an attack of dingeritis during the game, and I'm no professional baseball player, but all the same, I think he would do well to take my advice and not do that. All three homers came on fastballs, two of them first pitch fastballs. In his first start, in Atlanta, Suarez was hitting 96 with his fastball. Today, he was more around 90-92. That's perfectly fine velocity and probably a better idea of what to expect going forward. I saw him pitch a game in Sacramento this year and while he was good, I don't remember what his velocity was, which means it wasn't 95. The excellent velocity was nice while it lasted for those few innings. Those few innings are over.

That curveball sure is pretty, though.

In all, Suarez looked like you'd expect a swingman to look, which honestly isn't that bad. Coming into the season, he'd never even been to AAA. His first two appearances with Sacramento this year came out of the bullpen. He only made the AAA rotation when Ricky Romero - yes, that Ricky Romero - was placed on the minor league DL due to injury. He only got called up to the majors when Vin Mazzaro - yes, that Vin Mazzaro - gave up thirty-seven runs in one fourteenth of an inning. In April, he was the second most well known A. Suarez in the Giants system. Now he's serviceable, if unspectacular, as a big league starter.

* * *

Trevor Brown was 3 for 3 with a walk today. If, before spring training, you predicted that would be a sentence appearing in a post-game recap in mid-June this year, then congratulations on completing your computer program that writes every possible English sentence.

* * *

The bullpen had an excellent game. Did you notice that? You did not notice that. People only notice bullpens when they're disasters. Cory Gearrin gave up a solo homer with two outs in the ninth, but as a group, they kept the game to a one run deficit for three innings, preserved the tie in the 8th, and preserved the lead in the ninth. Proud of you, bullpen.

I got that sunshine in my pocket (7 in a row) #SFGiants pic.twitter.com/Dw4hLYVLIj

— San Francisco Giants (@SFGiants) June 18, 2016

Proud of you.