SF Giants drop first Spring Training game to Cubs, 8-4

The Giants kept things interesting by scoring in a burst in the ninth inning, but ultimately lost their first Spring Training game to visiting Chicago.

The SF Giants opened up Spring Training at home at Scottsdale Stadium on Saturday against the visiting Chicago Cubs. They started off strong in the first inning, with starting ace Logan Webb only needing five pitches to get through the first three batters. Both Austin Slater and Michael Conforto drew walks in the bottom of the inning against former Giant Drew Smyly but they fell prey to their ongoing struggle with double-play ground balls before scoring.

Logan Webb (62) on the mound against the Chicago Cubs at Scottsdale Stadium / © Allan Henry-USA TODAY Sports

In the second inning, things began to take on more of a "Spring Training" feel, with lots less polish. Webb allowed a single to first baseman Matt Mervis and hit catcher Jorge Alfaro with a pitch before finally getting infielder Miles Mastrobuoni to ground into a fielder's choice. But the baserunners did their damage anyway when outfielder Brennen Davis singled into left field and Conforto's errant throw allowed both Mervis and Mastrobuoni to score. The Cubs took an early 2-0 lead, and it would not, unfortunately stop there. But Webb's outing was done.

In the top of the third, Giants manager Bob Melvin went to Sean Hjelle on the mound. He allowed a single to former Giant and fan favorite Mike Tauchman, and then later a double to Patrick Wisdom to put the Cubs up 3-0. The Giants didn't earn their first hit until the third inning, themselves, when Luis Matos hit a ball to left field for a single. Ultimately he would get caught stealing second, and even though Slater drew another walk shortly afterward, the inning ended without a score from the Giants again.

Relief pitcher Erik Miller, who the Giants traded Yunior Marte to the Phillies for in 2023, came in to pitch the fourth inning. He got two Cubs to ground out and line out quickly, and it looked like it might be one of the Giants' quicker innings of the game. But Davis, who was responsible for several of the Cubs' scored runs had clearly come to play, and he blasted a solo shot to left field to put the Cubs up 4-0. 

In the bottom of the fifth, outfielder Heliot Ramos was hit by a pitch in the knee, and center fielder Grant McCray came into the game to run for him. Ramos' injury is not expected to be too serious. But again, nothing materialized for the Giants; not even having surprise 2023 success story Blake Sabol pinch hit for Austin Slater at the top of the lineup.

Bob Melvin swapped the defense entirely to start the sixth inning, and handed the ball to Tommy Romero, who was signed to a minor league contract by the Giants in late January. Romero walked a batter, struck out a batter, and then allowed two straight singles to put the Cubs up 5-0, giving the Giants just 12 outs to come back from the significant deficit.

Despite many more pitching changes from both the Cubs and Giants, the score remained very stable at 5-0 until the top of the eighth inning, when with one man on via walk, non-roster invitee Carson Seymour allowed a two-run homer to infielder David Bote, putting the Cubs up 7-0. 

In the ninth, the Giants turned to Nick Avila, who went 14-0 in 56 games in Sacramento with the River Cats in 2023. Many of those wins came when Avila entered the game as the River Cats were tied or losing to their opponents, so perhaps Melvin was looking for a little luck to rub off on the team. Avila did strike out two and draw a ground out, but he also gave up a home run to third baseman Chase Strumpf to put the Cubs up 8-0. 

Whether it was Avila, or the Giants' sheer desire not to get shut out on their first game of Spring Training, they finally had an answer in the bottom of the ninth, with no time to spare. Yusniel Díaz started the Giants off with a single to right field. Second baseman Brett Wisely struck out looking, and then catcher Joey Bart flied out to right. During Bart's at-bat, Díaz made it to third on pitcher indifference and a wild pitch from Chris Kachmar. With two outs, McCray drew a walk, and slugger Yoshitomo "Yoshi" Tsutsugo singled to right, bringing in Díaz and McCray, and finally putting the Giants on the board, 8-2. 

The Cubs made a pitching change to Joe Nahas in hopes of getting that final out. But recent pickup Otto Lopez, a shortstop acquired from Toronto for cash, had other plans. With two outs and Tsutsugo on, he homered to left center to cut into the Cubs lead, 8-4. 

San Francisco Giants infielder Otto Lopez rounds third after a home run in the ninth / © Allan Henry-USA TODAY Sports

Unfortunately that was as far as the team could hack it into the once lofty eight run deficit. Sabol grounded out to second to end the game. The Giants will head to Surprise, Arizona tomorrow to take on the World Champion Texas Rangers and former manager Bruce Bochy. Game time is 12:05 PM PST.