PHOENIX — The Giants understood the stakes at hand in this two-game series against the Diamondbacks. Wins in both games would almost entirely close the gap in the wild card standings; one would clinch the season series and secure a potentially important tiebreaker.
That factored in as much as the added days of rest for Alex Cobb’s troublesome hip when they decided to push his scheduled start back from Saturday in Colorado to Tuesday’s series opener in Arizona. It’s hard to imagine the decision backfiring worse.
Cobb walked off the mound after throwing two pitches in the third inning Tuesday night, clearly bothered by the impingement in his left hip. He had already allowed five runs, and after escaping the second on his 33rd pitch of the inning, hung his head while he grabbed at the hip as he returned to the dugout.
Manager Gabe Kapler and trainer Dave Groeschner made their way to the mound after Cobb clearly was in pain after the second pitch of the inning. Cobb, who looked to be in discomfort throughout his warm-up pitches before the inning, was replaced by left-hander Alex Wood.
The five runs charged to Cobb matched his second-highest total of the season. Of his five starts of five-plus runs, four have come since he suffered the impingement in his hip in mid-June.
Related Articles
San Francisco Giants |
SF Giants running out of time to solve road woes, salvage playoff hopes
San Francisco Giants |
SF Giants broadcast partners Mike Krukow, 71, and Duane Kuiper, 73, plan to ‘go on as long as we can’
San Francisco Giants |
A double shot of whiskey, Barbie dress-up day and a much-needed win leave SF Giants in good spirits, despite lackluster series vs. Rockies
San Francisco Giants |
SF Giants, D-backs will pit top two starters against each other in pivotal series with playoff implications
San Francisco Giants |
Swept in doubleheader, SF Giants give Rockies their first series win against NL West opponent all season
The Giants lined up Cobb and Logan Webb, their top two starters, to oppose Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly, 1-2 in the D-backs’ rotation, understanding they needed one win to clinch a tiebreaker over Arizona and, after dropping three of four in Colorado, likely both to salvage their playoff hopes.
But, after allowing two runs in the first inning on a LaMonte Wade Jr. triple and Joc Pederson home run, Gallen settled in …read more
Source:: The Mercury News – Entertainment
