SAN FRANCISCO -- Saturday’s game was the first time that the Rays have used the opener strategy in a National League park. Due to the pitcher spot coming up in the batting order every few innings, Rays manager Kevin Cash and pitching coach Kyle Snyder decided to manage their bullpen a little bit differently against the Giants.
Ryne Stanek got the start for the Rays and the right-hander did his job by pitching two scoreless innings to start the day. But instead of going with either Ryan Yarbrough or Yonny Chirinos -- who usually come in after the opener -- Cash opted to go with Jalen Beeks to replace Stanek, who was pinch-hit for in the top of the third inning.
With the Giants having five left-handed hitters in the lineup Saturday, Cash felt it was best to go with Beeks and Yarbrough instead of Chirinos, who was on full rest after pitching Sunday against the Astros. Most people, including Yarbrough, thought Chirinos would’ve been the pitcher to follow Stanek.
“That’s the flexibility that we have,” Cash said. “Just the matchup with their lefties. They had five in the lineup, and at that point, they’re pinch-hitting with switch-hitters most likely, so it wasn’t much of a decision for me.”
The matchups set up the way Cash wanted them to, but the results weren’t there, as the Giants beat the Rays, 6-4.
Beeks gave up two runs over two innings of work, before handing the ball off to Yarbrough, who gave up four runs, all in the fifth inning. Behind a sacrifice fly by Tommy Pham and an RBI single by Ji-Man Choi, the Rays took a 3-2 lead heading into the bottom of the fifth inning, but that’s when Yarbrough ran into some trouble against the Giants offense.
Yarbrough walked Joe Panik to start the inning, before giving up a single to pinch-hitter Connor Joe, his first Major League hit. Steven Duggar followed it with a two-run double to give the Giants a 4-3 lead and Brandon Belt’s two-run home run gave the Giants a three run cushion.
“I feel like if we kind of get through that inning the way I was throwing after that, I believe we win that game,” Yarbrough said. “It’s just a little frustrating ... when you’re able to settle in later and look back at what you were doing wrong and how you could’ve done it differently.”
The home run to Belt may have given the Giants the comfortable lead, but the leadoff walk to Panik is what Yarbrough finds most frustrating.
“When you walk the leadoff guy, especially in a one-run ballgame, those guys tend to score,” Yarbrough said. “That was really frustrating. If you take care of that guy, who knows how the inning would’ve been?”
The six runs allowed by Rays pitching Saturday is the most given up by the staff this season. It’s also the first time since Opening Day that the club has allowed more than two runs.
Adames connects on a pair of hits
Despite the loss, Willy Adames went 2-for-3 at the plate, which could serve as a confidence booster for the 23-year-old.
“I think I needed a day like that to get my confidence back and just to start it from today,” Adames said. “Hopefully do it tomorrow and get the win tomorrow.”
Adames came into Saturday’s game with just one hit in his first 27 at-bats this season. The shortstop wasn’t in the team’s starting lineup, but came in to pinch-hit in the fifth inning and stayed in on a double switch.
“You’d like to think that’ll help,” Cash said. “He got some good swings, showed a little more aggressive approach at the plate which is nice. All those things are good to see. I’m really confident Willy is going to be fine, it just might not come as quickly as everybody wants it to, but that’s OK.”