Melvin, Giants’ frustrations boil over in irritating loss to Rays originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
The Giants are frustrated. You can see it all over their faces after another lifeless, irritating loss.
San Francisco fell to the Tampa Bay Rays 2-1 on Friday at Tropicana Field, their eighth loss in the last 10 games and their seventh time scoring three or fewer runs in a game this season.
Rookie right-handed pitcher Keaton Winn (L, 5 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 6 K) started for the Giants and pitched relatively well, but the offense — yet again — was unable to pick up its laboring starter.
In speaking to reporters after the game, Winn was far from satisfied with his outing, arguably his best of the young 2024 MLB season. The 26-year-old admitted he didn’t have his best command, and regretted most a bases-loaded walk to Yandy Díaz with two outs in the bottom of the second inning that gave Tampa Bay an early 1-0 lead.
That was far from the only frustrating moment for the Giants on Friday. With two outs in the bottom of the third, Amed Rosario doubled home Harold Ramirez to give Tampa Bay a 2-1 lead before Rosario advanced to third and appeared to be thrown out by a mile before third baseman Matt Chapman was called for obstruction.
The run would have scored regardless, but the call still was frustrating for Melvin, who wasn’t sure what his star third baseman could have done differently to clear Rosario’s path to the base.
“That’s the first time we’ve seen it called like that.”
Melvin on Chapman being called for obstruction on this play in the third inning pic.twitter.com/1m9xja1A3c
— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) April 13, 2024
“That’s going to look funny all year,” Melvin said. “I’m not sure … I guess he’s supposed to jump out of the way, I don’t know. It looked like he was out pretty easily. It’s the first time we’ve seen it called like that.”
An already frustrated Melvin then was ejected in the top of the seventh inning for arguing a call after designated hitter Jorge Soler was called out on strikes with two outs and two runners on base.
Melvin was asked postgame exactly what he was arguing before home plate umpire Clint Vondrak tossed him from the game.
“That it was a ball to Soler,” Melvin shared. “He’s been calling top-of-the-zone the whole game and he called that one which has not been called. It looked like it was way below the zone in that situation. For me, it was pretty egregious.”
Soler, speaking postgame, agreed with his manager’s assessment and appreciated the show of support from his skipper.
“I expressed my feelings to (the umpire) that the ball was very low and inside and that I was unhappy with the strike call,” Soler said of his interaction with Vondrak.
Perhaps the most frustrating part of the night for the Giants was their 0-for-10 clip at the plate with runners in scoring position. An early trend that has hurt them far too many times so far this season.
“Just didn’t get great at-bats in those situations … when you don’t get it done, it’s a result-oriented business,” Melvin added. “So, yeah, we’ve got to be better.”
“Everyone understands there’s going to be ups and downs … things will turn around, things will get better,” Winn said.
If the Giants’ bats are going to wake up, there’s no better time than on Saturday with ace Logan Webb on the mound, who historically has received very little run support over the years. Webb (0-1, 4.86 ERA) will face off against Rays righty Ryan Pepiot (1-1, 4.63 ERA) at 1:10 p.m. PT on NBC Sports Bay Area.
Source Agencies
