Lineup tweak helps Giants get on board, but breakout remains elusive

SAN FRANCISCO -- After being shut out in back-to-back games to start the year for the first time in franchise history, the Giants felt compelled to tweak their starting lineup.

They stuck with the same group of position players for the third straight game, but they altered the batting order by slotting Jung Hoo Lee into the leadoff spot in place of Luis Arraez, who hit third.

The changes yielded some improvement, but it still wasn’t enough.

Lee doubled and scored on a single by Matt Chapman to snap the Giants’ 20-inning scoreless streak in the third inning, but the club couldn’t add on in a 3-1 loss that sealed a sweep at the hands of the Yankees in Saturday afternoon’s series finale at Oracle Park.

The Giants showed some late life against Yankees closer David Bednar in the bottom of the ninth, when Heliot Ramos drew a leadoff walk following a successful ABS challenge. Willy Adames followed with a single to left field, snapping his 0-for-10 start to the season.

Still, Bednar managed to escape the jam by striking out Harrison Bader and then coaxing a double play from Patrick Bailey to end the game.

“Obviously, it's not ideal to lose today and lose in heartbreaking fashion, as well,” manager Tony Vitello said. “But there were some notches in guys’ belts that they can take some confidence in and go on the road and hopefully pick up some steam.”

San Francisco never led during the three-game series and mustered only one run, its fewest through its first three games of a season. The Giants’ previous low over that span was two, which happened in 1940 and 2018.

While they continued to make the wrong kind of history, the Giants put together more competitive at-bats on Saturday and ended up outhitting the Yankees, 9-7.

“I think today was better,” Adames said. “Obviously, we didn't get the big hit again. I think that these first three games haven't gone the way that we wanted [them] to. But that's how baseball goes. Obviously, we didn't want to start the season like that. But now we have a new series, a new day to start fresh and start rolling.”

The Giants fell behind after the Yankees scored two runs off right-hander Tyler Mahle in the top of the third, but they managed to limit the damage thanks to a clutch defensive play from Ramos, who threw out Ben Rice at the plate from left field to end the inning.

Ramos rated as one of the worst defensive outfielders in the Majors last year. But he has been working hard to improve his fielding, and he was encouraged by his ability to come through in a big spot Saturday.

“I just think the work that I've been putting in, it's going to pay off,” Ramos said. “I think I'm a hard worker. That's the thing that matters the most. That throw was just under control. I was trying to make a good throw. The situation was in front of me, so I just took it.”

Chapman’s RBI single in the bottom of the third brought the Giants within one, but the Yankees ended up padding their lead behind Aaron Judge’s solo shot off left-hander Ryan Borucki in the fifth.

Asked if he considered intentionally walking Judge to have Borucki face the left-handed-hitting Cody Bellinger with two outs, Vitello said, “There's your regrets. If we could go back in time now that we know the result, we would do that. That was a consideration. We didn't do it, and he made us pay.”

With an all right-handed bench, Vitello could have also tried pinch-hitting for Lee against southpaw Tim Hill in the bottom of the seventh. He decided to stick with Lee, who struck out looking on three pitches to end the inning. Vitello didn’t end up deploying his bench until he sent the speedy Jared Oliva to pinch-run for Adames in the bottom of the ninth.

“It’s like the first time it’s happened in my career,” said Adames, who was previously pinch-run for only once, on Sept. 29, 2019, with the Rays. “Tony makes a decision, and he’s the manager.”

Given their need for more offensive thump, the Giants could get more aggressive in using their bench as they prepare to begin a three-game series against the Padres in San Diego on Monday. One possibility would be to create more opportunities for first baseman/outfielder Jerar Encarnacion, who has yet to appear in a game this year.

“Right now, there hasn't been any scenarios where we’d make an adjustment in the outfield, but we’re anxious to see him out there,” Vitello said. “Even if it's a pinch-hit, or whatever it might be. We talked about involving him today. So hopefully, that time comes soon.”