Free passes spoil Mahle's outing, Giants' lead in another one-run loss

KANSAS CITY -- Tyler Mahle did just what he needed to do through the opening five innings of his Tuesday start against the Royals.

The Giants’ right-hander had only one glitch over that span, surrendering a solo homer to Carter Jensen. But then came a sudden loss of control in the sixth and an ominous combination of a walk followed by a hit-by-pitch that shifted a positive night for Mahle into a precarious situation that the Giants couldn’t escape in a 3-2 loss at Kauffman Stadium.

Given a 2-1 lead, Mahle started the sixth by walking Isaac Collins on a 3-2 splitter that missed up and away. Royals captain Salvador Perez then gave Kansas City another baserunner without the aid of a hit when he was hit by a 94.7 mph four-seam fastball on the wrist.

And just like that, Mahle’s night was over.

With two on and nobody out, the Giants’ bullpen was asked to clean up the mess -- and couldn’t do it. Sam Hentges came on for a lefty-lefty matchup against Vinnie Pasquantino and it was the Royals’ first baseman who won the battle when he found a hole up the middle for an RBI single. Later in the inning, Nick Loftin produced an RBI single off Keaton Winn for what turned out to be the game-winning hit.

In a tight game, putting the first two runners on without putting a ball in play is no recipe for success. That was the message for Mahle and the Giants as Kansas City prevailed by one run for the second night in a row.

“I was pitching well until the sixth,” Mahle said. “Walked the first guy, which is never good. Then I hit Salvy on a fastball in. It wasn’t like I was making bad pitches. Just walked a guy and hit a guy.”

The body of work for Mahle on Tuesday came after he threw seven innings of one-run ball in his previous start against the Rockies. With the Trade Deadline looming, Mahle is keeping his focus strictly on helping the Giants. He’s working on a one-year contract after signing with San Francisco in January.

“I’m just trying to pitch better and control what I can control,” Mahle said.

Mahle went back to his old windup in Tuesday’s start and impressed manager Tony Vitello with his overall performance.

“[Mahle] looked good, as he has his last two in particular,” Vitello said. “Just unfortunate with a couple of free bases to end it. Sam has been pretty good of late getting us out of trouble. That inning was the difference-maker, but for us to get out of there with two runs with how everything transpired was pretty good.”

The Giants’ offense struggled against Royals starter Luinder Avila, who worked a career-high 6 1/3 innings and allowed two runs on five hits. Avila struck out seven and walked only one.

San Francisco took a brief 2-1 lead against Avila in the fifth when Jesus Rodriguez blooped a double to right field with two outs and scored on Drew Gilbert’s RBI single. Heliot Ramos later added an RBI fielder’s choice, but the Giants missed the chance for a bigger inning after a throwing error by shortstop Tyler Tolbert on the play. With runners at first and third, Avila struck out Bryce Eldridge.

“He has great stuff,” Vitello said of Avila. “He was able to get us to chase out of the zone just enough. The fastball got guys sped up a little bit. It’s firm and he has some deception to it with his front side.”