On a night the slumping Giants broke out of their offensive funk and ended a four-game losing streak Jason Spriggs Jersey , second baseman Joe Panik was forced out with a groin strain and is likely headed to the disabled list.
Such is life for manager Bruce Bochy and his beleaguered ballclub this season.
Andrew McCutchen hit an RBI single to drive in Hunter Pence from second base in the seventh inning and the Giants beat the St. Louis Cardinals 3-2 on Friday night.
But San Francisco’s win was tempered by the loss of Panik, who was injured while running from first to third on Gorkys Hernandez’s double in the fourth.
”Bad break there,” Bochy said. ”We are going to get an MRI tomorrow, but it looks like he’s headed to the DL. It’s hard to say how long. He did a pretty good job on it.”
Panik, a Gold Glove winner in 2016, missed 31 games this season with a sprained left thumb. His latest injury had Bochy and his staff scrambling to make roster moves after the game. Rookie Alen Hanson is the likely replacement until Panik returns.
”It’s a DL situation, so we’ll huddle up here and talk about what move we’re going to make,” Bochy said.
Pence reached on a pinch-hit single off John Brebbia (1-2) leading off the seventh. After Hanson sacrificed Pence to second and Posey was intentionally walked, McCutchen pushed a 2-2 pitch into left field to drive in the go-ahead run.
Pablo Sandoval homered, Buster Posey singled twice and Brandon Crawford scored on a wild pitch to help the Giants’ slumping offense break out.
Reyes Moronta (5-1) retired one batter to earn the win. Will Smith pitched the ninth for his third save.
Kolton Wong had two hits and two RBIs for the Cardinals.
St. Louis was limited to five hits after setting a season-high with 18 on Friday.
”There’s going to be some nights when they’re going to shut you down,” manager Mike Matheny said. ”You have to figure out how to manufacture. You’re not going to be able to score 11 every night.”
It was a back-and-forth game most of the night. After Wong’s RBI double in the second gave the Cardinals an early lead Mike Daniels Jersey , the Giants tied it in the bottom of the inning without a hit. Crawford and Sandoval walked. Crawford took third on a flyout and scored on a wild pitch.
DAD’S HERE
Giants starter Dereck Rodriguez pitched effectively into the sixth inning, but wasn’t even the most popular member of his family at the ballpark. His father, Hall of Famer Ivan Rodriguez, sat near San Francisco’s dugout and received a huge ovation from the crowd as highlights of the former catcher’s career played on the giant scoreboard in center field.
”I didn’t even notice until they told me,” the younger Rodriguez said of the videos of his father.
DEJONG RETURNS
Cardinals shortstop Paul DeJong was activated from the disabled list after missing 45 games with a fracture in his left hand. DeJong had not missed a game this season before getting hurt.
”I was kind of anxious before the game just to get out there and start playing because I’ve been waiting for this moment for a while,” said DeJong, who went 1 for 3 with two runs scored.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Cardinals: To make room for DeJong, LHP Austin Gomber was optioned to Triple-A Memphis.
Giants: 3B Evan Longoria could begin swinging off a tee and taking grounders by the end of the weekend, less than three weeks after undergoing surgery to repair a broken bone in his left hand. Longoria is on pace to rejoin the team in the first week of August.
UP NEXT
Cardinals RHP Carlos Martinez (5-4, 3.20 ERA) goes for his third consecutive win Saturday. Martinez pitched two-hit ball over nine innings, but left with a no-decision the last time he faced the Giants on May 20 Authentic Todd Gurley Jersey , 2017. RHP Jeff Samardzija (1-4, 6.56) will come off the disabled list to pitch for San Francisco in his first start since May 29.
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After sitting out eight games in attempt to rediscover his swing, the Baltimore Orioles are hoping first baseman Chris Davis is ready to resume his role as a provider of power.
Davis homered Friday night for the first time since May 9 and delivered a sacrifice fly as he returned to the lineup.
During the time he sat, Davis worked on techniques to rekindle his power and cut down on strikeouts. He was 1-for-4 with a walk and two RBIs in his return.
Davis and the Orioles will meet the Atlanta Braves on Saturday in the second game of a three-game series at SunTrust Park. Baltimore won the opener 10-7 on Friday.
Baltimore will start right-hander Dylan Bundy (5-7, 3.81) against Atlanta right-hander Julio Teheran (5-4, 3.97)
“I have a tendency to try and explore, especially when I am scuffling,” Davis said. “I was trying to get that feeling back, trying to do too much.”
Davis had certainly been scuffling. He came into Friday’s game hitting .150 and was 3-for-27 with 14 strikeouts in the first seven games of June, before manager Buck Showalter ordered him shutdown and sent for inspection. Davis had led the majors in home runs twice from 2013 to 2015.
“It’s not a one-day, two-day JK Scott Jersey , three-day (adjustment),” Showalter said. “It’s some things that he really wants to stay with. He understands what made him successful and what can again.”
Teheran will be making his 15th start of the season. He spent 10 days on the disabled list with a bruised right thumb. He came off the DL and on June 17 tossed six scoreless innings against San Diego. Teheran’s velocity increased from 89.5 mph to 91.4 mph and his location improved from his previous start before the injury.
“I think the uptick in velocity definitely helps his off-speed a little more,” catcher Tyler Flowers said. “He had good feel with his changeup and slider. His curveball, not so much. But when you’ve got three out of four with some confidence, those are some good weapons.”
The win over the Padres broke a three-game losing streak and gave Teheran his first win since May 14.
He has one career start against the Orioles, and that was in 2015. In that game he allowed five runs in four innings and gave up a pair of home runs.
“When you have your arm feeling good, you don’t have anything else to worry about,” Teheran said. “You just go out there and make pitches. I felt like everything was working.”
Bundy will be making his team-leading 16th start. He has received more run support (5.22) than any other starter in the Baltimore rotation.
Bundy has won two straight games and was victorious against Miami on June 17 when he allowed four runs over six innings. Bundy had a longer leash that game, which the Orioles won 10-4. In his two previous starts he had combined for 15 shutout innings, including eight against the powerful Boston Red Sox. In the previous month he’s 3-1 with a 2.50 ERA.
Bundy has posted some impressive strikeout numbers. He has fanned 100 — and walked only 27 — in 89 2/3 innings. He had a season-high 14 strikeouts against the Chicago White Sox.
Bundy will be making his first career start against Atlanta.