Weak SF Giants' bats spoil Patrick Bailey's debut in 1-0 loss

Patrick Bailey's pitchers didn't yield a single earned run, but his teammates were two-hit by the Miami Marlins

The San Francisco Giants hope the Patrick Bailey-Logan Webb combination can be together for many years. Their first game as a battery went great. The problem was the Giants' bats. And J.D. Davis' glove.

Miami scored a run in the 8th inning on a Davis error, a sacrifice bunt, and a single off loser Tyler Rogers. That was enough to beat the Giants, who had just three hits, going hitless for more than seven innings straight.

For the most part, Bailey's major league debut was awesome. Starter Webb went six shutout innings. There were no passed balls, wild pitches, or catcher's interference calls. And at the plate, he got his first big league hit in the 8th inning, in front of his wife and daughter.

A well-deserved standing ovation for Patrick Bailey 👏 pic.twitter.com/3mF7na5zqu

— SFGiants (@SFGiants) May 20, 2023

It was only the Giants' second hit of the game, and their third happened seconds later when Bryce Johnson's drag bunt surprised reliever Tanner Scott, who didn't get over to cover first. But the inning ended after Dylan Floro came in to retire Thairo Estrada on a ground ball to third.

Floro stayed in to retire the Giants in order in the 9th, with the only scare coming on a drive to the left field gap by Wilmer Flores. But on a cloudy day where neither team had an extra-base hit, it was not to be. No one told him life was going to be this way.

For 6.1 innings, Braxton Garrett shut down the San Francisco Giants Saturday afternoon. Then his pitch count did what the Giants offense could not: Get Garrett out of the game.

Estrada led off the bottom of the first inning with a single, and that was all the Giants got off the Miami Marlins starter, save a one-out walk to LaMonte Wade Jr. in the second. After the free pass to Wade, Garrett retired the next 15 batters he faced.

Webb was nearly as good, throwing six shutout innings and striking out seven. was only in trouble twice. In the second inning, the Marlins got a walk and a Nick Fortes single with two outs, before Webb struck out Garrett Hampson.

Webb got ten outs on ground balls, and the biggest one happened in the top of the fourth inning. Major league hit leader Luis Arraez grounded a single to center, and after a force out, Bryan De La Cruz singled to put runners on the corners. Webb got out of the jam with a rare 5-6-3 double play, thanks to Casey Schmitt's laser of a throw to first.

5-6-3 double play to get out of the jam 😮 pic.twitter.com/SnCYfefXCs

— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) May 20, 2023

It wasn't Schmitt's only defensive gem. He got the Giants out of a two-on, two-out situation in the 8th by snagging a Garrett Cooper line drive. Perhaps he could be a Gold Glover at shortstop as well as third base?

Snagged by Schmitt 😏 pic.twitter.com/hkiGxL8h30

— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) May 20, 2023

Meanwhile, Thairo Estrada showed off his arm by stealing a hit from De La Cruz to start the 7th inning.

What can't Thairo do?? 🤷‍♂️ pic.twitter.com/1F9qaR8zPg

— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) May 20, 2023

Not flashing the leather? J.D. Davis, who had a rough afternoon at third base. He lost a pop-up in the sun in the 7th inning that fell out of play untouched, then booted a Hampson ground ball to begin the 8th inning. After a sacrifice bunt, Jon Berti singled in the first run of the game, making a hard-luck loser out of Tyler Rogers.

Wade also dropped a throw at first base to make the ninth inning much more harrowing for Camilo Doval. Doval didn't help his own cause by ignoring De La Cruz at first, letting him get a huge jump and steal second without a throw.

The loss ends a four-game winning streak for the Giants. The teams will play the rubber match Sunday when Jesus Luzardo takes on Alex Wood.