LOS ANGELES -- With 10 days to go until the Aug. 2 Trade Deadline, the Giants appear to be trending in the wrong direction.
Despite a last-ditch rally in the ninth inning, the Giants fell, 4-2, to the Dodgers on Saturday at Dodger Stadium, sealing their third consecutive loss to start the second half.
The Giants were blanked for the first eight innings of the game before showing some late life against old friend Reyes Moronta, who recorded two outs before issuing back-to-back walks to Thairo Estrada and Yermín Mercedes. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts subsequently brought in lefty David Price to face Luis González, who delivered an RBI single to left field to cut Los Angeles' lead to 4-1.
Joey Bart followed with another RBI single to bring the Giants within two, but Price struck out Austin Slater looking on a 2-2 sinker that appeared to be off the plate to end the game.
“We had Austin Slater at the plate against a left-handed pitcher with the game on the line,” manager Gabe Kapler said. “I never make a big deal about umpires’ calls and I won’t now. But if that goes our way, we can win that game. … To have a chance to win today’s game is still a good thing. These guys are showing a tremendous amount of fight and drive and determination, and I respect that.”
Here are three takeaways as the Giants fell to 48-46 on the season.
1. Wood’s day
Left-hander Alex Wood entered Saturday with a 0.54 ERA over his first three starts in July, but he needed 97 pitches to get through four-plus innings against the Dodgers, who managed to grind out at-bats and run up his pitch count early.
Wood struck out six and allowed four hits, including back-to-back home runs to Mookie Betts and Trea Turner in the third inning. The 31-year-old veteran punched out five in a row before misplacing a 3-2 sinker to Betts, who hammered it to left field for his 200th career home run. Turner also worked a full count before driving another sinker to left-center field to extend the Dodgers’ lead to 2-0.
“This is what they’re built to do,” said Wood, who was removed after issuing a leadoff walk to Gavin Lux in the fifth. “See a lot of pitches, grind guys down. They don’t chase a whole lot out of the zone, and when they get a mistake, they make you pay. I thought I threw pretty good. They just kind of grinded me down to the nub.”
2. Slater stays hot
Slater went 2-for-4 with a walk and accounted for the Giants’ only two hits against Dodgers lefty Julio Urías, who struck out five over six scoreless innings. Slater opened the game with a double, but Urías left him stranded by retiring Wilmer Flores, Darin Ruf and Evan Longoria in order. San Francisco didn’t put another runner in scoring position against Urias until the sixth, when Slater and Ruf walked to put a pair of runners on with two outs. That brought up rookie David Villar, who struck out on three pitches to end the threat.
Slater is in the midst of one of the best months of his career, going 22-for-51 (.431) over 20 games. The 29-year-old has been used in more of a platoon role over the last few years, but he’s begun to earn more regular playing time against both lefties and righties after evening out his splits this season.
“I’m seeing the ball really well,” Slater said. “I made a couple of minor swing adjustments. I feel like that’s been able to let me be more consistent. It’s just a combo of those two.”
3. Longoria exits
The Giants absorbed another loss on Saturday, as Longoria was forced to depart after sustaining a mild right hamstring strain while running to first base on a double-play ball in the top of the fourth inning. Longoria appeared to grab his leg as he walked off the field, then he was replaced by Villar at third in the bottom of the fourth.
Kapler said Longoria will undergo an MRI exam on Sunday to determine the severity of the injury, but the 36-year-old veteran is “likely” heading to the injured list for the third time this season. Longoria has already missed time with finger and oblique injuries this year, but he’s been productive when healthy, recording a .790 OPS with nine homers over 49 games.
“I haven’t had a chance to talk to him, but I know he’s really frustrated,” Kapler said. “It’s hard when your body doesn’t cooperate with you. It’s kind of one thing after another. He hasn’t been able to get over the hump. I feel for him as a friend, I feel for him as a player, and I feel for us, because obviously he’s really important to our club.”
Villar and Wilmer Flores will be candidates to fill in at third base in the interim, along with Tommy La Stella, who could potentially be activated off the COVID IL sooner than expected.