SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS NOTES:
TODAY’S GAME: The Giants will try to clinch their second series against St. Louis with a win tonight following their 4-3 nail-biter yesterday…SF has won four of its five games vs. St. Louis this year after taking the first three in their four-game series on April 24-27…the Giants are in the midst of a six-game trip and will travel to Los Angeles following tomorrow’s game to open up a series with the Dodgers Friday-Sunday.
MARVELOUS MONTH: The Giants enter play today having won 17 of their last 26 games (.654) dating to May 15, tied with Miami for the second-highest winning percentage in the Majors in that span behind Arizona (18-7, .720).
ROAD RULES CHALLENGE: Earlier this season the Giants were stumbling on the road but finding success at home…that script has flipped over the three weeks as the Giants have gone 9-2 (.818) in their last 11 road games since May 22, the second-best road winning % in that stretch, while going 3-6 (.333) at home in that time…SF enters today 16-15 away from Oracle Park and has won four straight road games after sweeping Colorado at Coors Field last week.
BULL’S EYE: The Giants success on the road since May 22 is partly due to their bullpen, who’s boasting 0.94 ERA (5er, 48.0ip) away from home in that stretch with a .140 opposing average and 58 strikeouts while converting all seven save opportunities.
FREDBIRD THE (NOT SO KIND) REDBIRD: Winning a series here in St. Louis has proven to be a challenge for the Giants in recent years as since 2013 the Giants have gone 2-7 in nine series here at Busch Stadium, recording series wins in 2014 and 2017 (note that the Giants did not play here during the shortened 2020 season)…more recently since 2015, the Giants are 8-15 (.349) here at Busch Stadium, their third-lowest road winning percentage against any team (min. 20 road games).
CLUTCH CRAW: IF Brandon Crawford drove in the go-ahead run in the 8th inning yesterday that ultimately gave the Giants the victory…since May 15, Crawford is 6-for-16 (.375) with runners in scoring position and is hitting 12-for-36 (.333) with 14 RBI with RISP overall this season…SF is 9-2 when Crawford drives in a run this year.
SAVING THE DAY: RHP Camilo Doval converted his NL-leading 17th save of the season last night and trails only CLE’s Emmanuel Clase (20) and TOR’s Jordan Romano (18) in MLB…Doval’s 17 saves through his first 29 games of the year are the most by a Giant since Will Smith converted 18 saves through his first 29 appearances in 2019.
NOT ON MY WATCH: C Patrick Bailey has been outstanding behind the plate as well, recording a key pickoff throw to second base last night…Bailey caught four of his last 10 stolen base attempts dating to May 31 and five of 17 overall this year (31.2%)…the Giants are 10-6 when he starts behind the plate this year.
CAUGHT IN THE COBBWEB: RHP Alex Cobb takes the hill for SF tonight and will face the Cardinals for a second time this season…the veteran recorded a shutout in his most recent start against St. Louis on April 24 at Oracle Park and became the third Giant to have such a game vs. the Cardinals in the Wild Card era, joining Tim Lincecum (June 29, 2009) and Giants color analyst Shawn Estes (May 23, 1997)…Cobb has a 0.86 ERA (2er, 21.0ip) with 22 strikeouts, a 0.76 WHIP and .189 opposing average in three career starts against the Cardinals.
AGE IS BUT A NUMBER: The 35-year-old Cobb takes the hill tonight and it will be the 53rd time the Giants have had a pitcher 30+ years make a start this season…that’s third-most in the Majors behind San Diego (57) and Texas (56)…the Cardinals are fourth at 44 such games (Stats, LLC).
PLAYING FAVORITES: OF Mike Yastrzemski has hammered the ball in his career against the Cardinals, slashing .347/.435/.625 in 23 games against St. Louis…according to Stats, LLC, Yaz’ .625 slugging percentage vs. the Cardinals is tops among active players (min. 80PAs).
PENMANSHIP: SF’s bullpen has been on a great run since May 2, leading the Majors with a 2.24 ERA while posting a 26.8 strikeout percentage (sixth-best in the Majors).
HE GETS ON BASE: IF/OF LaMonte Wade Jr. continues to draw walks at a pace seldom seen by Giants first basemen… Wade has walked 43 times through his first 62 games of the year and has a .413 OBP this year, second-highest in MLB behind MIA’s Luis Arraez (.440) (Stats, LLC).
ST. LOUIS CARDINALS NOTES:
RECENT REDBIRDS: The St. Louis Cardinals and visiting San Francisco Giants play the second game of a three-game series tonight at Busch Stadium … St. Louis opened its homestand by dropping two-of-three to division-rival Cincinnati over the weekend.
FLIGHT PATTERN: The Cardinals enter today in last place in the NL Central, 8.5 games behind first place Pittsburgh and 2.0 games behind fourth place Chicago …St. Louis has spent 48 of 75 days in last place on this season’s Major League schedule (April 26-May 19 and May 29-present) … This season is the Cardinals slowest start since beginning 27-40 (.403) in 1980.
THE CITY BY THE BAY: St. Louis and San Francisco are knotted up at 359-359 in the all-time series since the Giants moved from New York in 1958 … Since 2018, St. Louis has won 10 of its last 14 games over the Giants at Busch Stadium … With last night’s defeat, the Cardinals have lost the season series to the Giants for the first time since 2014.
CLOSE ENCOUNTERS: The Cardinals are 7-16 in one-run games this season, with a .304 win pct that ranks as 2nd-lowest in MLB behind only San Diego (.250, 4-12) … The Cardinals 23 one-run games tie Tampa for 3rd-most in MLB behind Cincinnati (26) and Cleveland (30) … Seven of the Cardinals 10 games this month have been decided by one run.
STREAKING WITH NADO: Nolan Arenado is hitting .360/.429/.720 (18-50) with four homers, one triple, four doubles, five walks, 10 RBI, and a 1.149 OPS during his active 14-game on-base streak (May 27-present) … The 14-gamer ties Matt Thaiss as MLB’s 3rd-longest active behind Shohei Ohtani (16) and Joey Meneses (18) and is Arenado’s best since reaching base safely in 16 games in a row from Sept. 24, 2022-April 9, 2023.
OUCH!: The Cardinals have had a hit batsmen in six straight games (June 6-present), tying the Mets (April 2-8) for MLB’s longest HBP streak this season … The six-game bean streak also ties a team record established in May 14-20, 2000 and matched from May 22-28, 2019.
CAPTAIN JACK: Jack Flaherty has limited his opposition to one run or fewer in each of his last three starts (0.98 ERA, 18.1 IP) … Of MLB pitchers with two or more June starts, Flaherty ranks 7th in ERA (0.79) in the month … Flaherty holds the marks for lowest ERA (0.60) and opponent BA (.063) vs. San Francisco since 2019 of pitchers with 15.0 or more innings and two or more starts … The right-hander’s last two outings vs. the Giants have been 1-0 decisions: a 1-0 defeat at San Francisco (July 7, 2019) after allowing a Evan Longoria home run and a 1-0 win at Busch Stadium (Sept. 3, 2019) after 8.0 scoreless innings of one-hit ball (Mike Yastrzemski) as Marcell Ozuna homered off Dereck Rodriguez.
PAULVERIZED: Paul Goldschmidt’s next home run at Busch Stadium will be the 68th of his career, tying both Yadier Molina and Matt Carpenter for 3rd-most in stadium history behind Matt Holliday (88) and Albert Pujols (122).
TOMMY BOY: Tommy Edman stole his 10th base of the season last night and 51st career at Busch Stadium (most in stadium history) … Edman now has three consecutive seasons of double-digit steals (30, 32, 10), becoming the first Cardinal to do so since Edgar Renteria logged six straight campaigns of double-digit steals from 1999-2004 … Since 2021, Edman’s 72 stolen bases rank 5th across MLB behind Whit Merrifield (73), Ronald Acuna Jr. (74), Cedric Mullins (77), and Starling Marte (83).
CORNERSTONE COMBO: Paul Goldschmidt (31 HR, 110 RBI) and Nolan Arenado (33 HR, 112 RBI) are the top two active leaders in home runs and RBI against the Giants … The duo is attempting to continue where Hall of Famer Stan “The Man” Musial left off, the all-time MLB leader against the Giants in runs (272), hits (504), RBI (312), home runs (89) … Arenado’s 33 dingers and 112 RBI are both his most against any opponent.
TONIGHT’S STARTING PITCHER: RHP JACK FLAHERTY (3-4, 4.15 ERA)
TONIGHT’S GAME
NL Ranks: Ground Into Double Plays (14, 1st), GIDP/9 IP (1.82, 1st*), Walks (40, T-1st), Games Started (13, T-10th), HR/9 IP (0.78, 8th)
- Making his 14th start of the season and his 5th career against the San Francisco Giants. His 112th career start (117th app).
- Has not allowed a home run in his last 32.0 innings pitched, 6th-longest active streak among National League pitchers. Last home run allowed was on May 9 at Wrigley Field to the Cubs’ Dansby Swanson.
- Holding his opposition to one run or less in each of his last three starts (0.98 ERA, 18.1 IP). Of National League pitchers with two or more starts in June, ranks 6th in the National League with an 0.79 ERA in the month. Lowered his season ERA from 6.29 to 4.15 over six starts.
- Has thrown 100 or more pitches in each of his last five starts.
- After inducing 14 ground into double plays in his first 10 starts, has not induced one in his last three starts. Still leads the National League in that category and GIDP/9 IP.
- The Southern California native, who grew up a Dodgers fan, made his Major League debut vs. the Giants on Sept. 1, 2017 at Oracle Park. Took a no decision in an 11-6 Cardinals win.
- Hasn’t pitched against the Giants since September 2019, but his last two starts were both 1-0 decisions. A loss at SF (7/7/19) and a win in STL (9/3/19). Both games decided by solo home runs (Evan Longoria, SF & Marcell Ozuna, STL).
- St. Louis is 5-1 in his last five games started dating to 5/9.
- His 14 ground into double plays induced is tied for the Major League lead and are one shy of establishing a new personal single-season high.
- Has walked 5 or more batters in three of his 12 starts this season.
- Trails only Wainwright & DeJong in years of Cardinals service on 40-player roster.
- Has held his opposition to a .212 career batting average, ranking 32nd among MLB pitchers with more than 500 career innings pitched in the Live Ball Era (post-1920).
- Missed a total of 122 games in 2022 due to a right shoulder injury (64 games from April 7-June 14 and another 58 games from June 27-Sept.4). Missed 88 games in 2021 with an oblique injury.
- Since becoming a full-time starting pitcher in 2018, ranks 14th among MLB pitchers with a 10.27 strikeouts/9 IP (min. 500 IP).
- St. Louis sports a 60-51 overall record in Flaherty’s 111 career starts. In his first 51 starts from his MLB debut (9/1/2017) until the 2019 All-Star Break, St. Louis went 21-30 (.412). In his last 60 starts (July 16, 2019-present), St. Louis is 39-21 (.650).
- In 111 career starts, Jack is 35-10 when receiving 2+ runs of support, 28-1 when receiving 3+ runs, and 24-0 with 4+ runs of support. Has received 2 or fewer runs of support in 66 of 110 (60.0%) career starts. Has 24 starts with zero runs of support.
- Is 21-15 in 54 career games (51 starts) at Busch Stadium. His .193 opponent batting average is the lowest in stadium history (min. 100 IP), while his 314 strikeouts (8th) ranks in the Top 10 among all pitchers in the ballpark’s history (since 2006). Trails Chris Carpenter (356) by 42 for 7th all-time in stadium history.
LAST TIME OUT
- Pitched 6.0 scoreless innings in a no decision as the Cardinals won 1-0 against Jon Gray in a pitcher’s duel at Globe Life Field in Texas (6/7). Stranded the bases loaded in the 1st inning and ran off eight strikeouts, passing Ray Sadecki into 23rd place all-time in Cardinals history.
DATE vs. RESULT DEC IP H R ER BB SO HR NP-S
6/7 @TEX W, 1-0 ND 6.0 3 0 0 5 8 0 105-56
