The Giants got walked-off by the Brewers tonight, losing 5-4 after a bullpen implosion and a comeback that fell just short.
The game was started by Madison Bumgarner, who pitched five innings and gave up seven hits and a walk while only allowing one unearned run, striking out six. Bumgarner was heavily taxed, however, having thrown 103 pitches in his five innings of work.
He was supported by his battery mate, however, as Buster Posey put on a defensive clinic. In the first inning, Posey picked off Lorenzo Cain after blocking a wild pitch. Later, Posey had just a beautiful pick on a throw from Kevin Pillar to nab Mike Moustakas at home and preserve a one-run lead, delivered by Mike Yastrzemski, who hit a sac fly in the first to score Brandon Belt (Belt reached on an error by starting pitcher Zach Davies.)
Davies, in turn, would score the Brewers first run to tie the game in the fifth inning as he hit a double and was knocked in by Christian Yelich.
The Giants retook the lead in the seventh inning after a pair of singles from Brandon Crawford and Donovan Solano (who replaced Joe Panik at second base). Austin Slater knocked in Crawford with an RBI double to left field. But everything went down hill after that.
In the bottom of the seventh, Tony Watson was in trouble. With runners on first and third, though, he managed to get the inning ending double play ball. Sam Dyson pitched the eighth, and that’s where the wheels started to fly off.
Dyson allowed four consecutive hits without recording an out. The first three of which were doubles, followed by a single to Eric Thames. This was enough for Bruce Bochy and he pulled Dyson for Derek Holland. Holland walked Yasmani Grandal to load the bases and got the first out of the inning on a sac fly from Orlando Arcia, after which Slater did his best to keep the run from scoring, but the throw was just off-line and Posey wasn’t able to get to the plate in time for the out and the Brewers took a 4-3 lead.
Crawford led off the ninth with a battle at the plate, which he won with a walk. After Solano struck out, Slater hit the ball to deep right field. Unfortunately, Yelich was there and made the play so quickly that it limited Crawford to second base and Slater to a single. Stephen Vogt entered the game as a pinch hitter and seemed poised to be the big hero of the night as he hit a broken bat single that scored Crawford easily. Lorenzo Cain fumbled the ball, allowing Slater (who hadn’t even been sure if he was going to try for third) to gun it and score to tie the game.
Reyes Moronta entered to pitch the bottom of the inning and was hindered early, as Ryan Braun reached on an error by Crawford. After striking out two, Moronta walked Keston Hiura and was set to face the pinch-hitting Ben Gamel. And, in fitting fashion for this game, Gamel knocked in Braun for the walk-off win.
It’s easy to get mad when the bullpen loses a game. There’s an argument to be made in Moronta’s defense (the winning run reaching on Crawford’s error), not so much for Dyson. But you probably shouldn’t take for granted that this has been one of the best bullpens in baseball this year. They can’t be perfect every night, and on those nights you just have to shrug it off and hope they get the series win tomorrow.