Playing away in an American League ballpark, the Giants should generate some more offense with an extra bat in the lineup. This weekend series against a weak Kansas City Royals team would have been a good opportunity for a sweep, but San Francisco allowed the Royals to win game two 5-3.
Giants starter Kevin Correia did not have an impressive outing. The Royals batters ran his pitch count up quickly, forcing him to leave the game after five innings of work. He gave up three runs on six hits while walking four hitters. Alex Hinshaw pitched a perfect sixth inning before running into trouble in the seventh. After walking a batter he was replaced by Billy Sadler. Sadler was unable to bail him out, and allowed a two-run homer. He did not retire a single batter and had to be taken out after facing two hitters. Jack Taschner finished the game for San Francisco, pitching a perfect inning and two-thirds.
The Giants batters looked miserable at the plate, striking out in four of their five first at-bats, and ending the game with two strikeouts in the ninth inning. San Francisco combined for nine strikeouts during the game. They did manage to score three runs on just four hits, but were helped out by a Kansas City throwing error. The throwing error by starter Gil Meche allowed the Giants to score two unearned runs in the sixth inning, bringing them within a run of tying the game. They nearly made a comeback with late inning runs, but the Royals offense responded to their efforts. The only hits on the Giants side were singles that came from Fred Lewis, Ray Durham, John Bowker, and Rich Aurilia. Durham scored two of Giants runs, Lewis the other.
With Tim Lincecum on the mound for the series finale this afternoon the Giants have a good shot at winning the series. He is scheduled to pitch against Kyle Davies at 11:10 a.m. who is 3-0 this season. Interleague play is killing the Giants, who are now 3-7 in their last ten games, and seven games back of division leaders Arizona.
