Giants Beat Rockies in Home Opener
Cueto within a pitch of complete game at Oracle Park.
San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Johnny Cueto works in the first inning of a baseball game against the Colorado Rockies, Friday, April 9, 2021, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)
2021.04.09 – Johnny Cueto got within a pitch of a complete game, Brandon Crawford broke a scoreless tie with a bases-loaded, two-run double in the seventh inning, and the San Francisco Giants won their home opener beating the Colorado Rockies 3-1 at Oracle Park.
Cueto with that familiar flair and flip of his dreadlocks, entertained everyone once again. And he dominated like the old days, too.
And oh how the baseball-starved San Francisco fans loved every moment of it.
“I like to perform and pump up the crowd,” Cueto said with a smile.
Cueto, who prides himself on his ability to entertain a crowd, dazzled by mixing speeds and commanding the corners of the plate with each of his pitches in a way the Giants hadn’t seen since before he underwent Tommy John surgery in August 2018.
“I feed off the crowd and I like to pitch in front of the crowd,” Cueto said through Spanish language interpreter Erwin Higueros.
Cueto (1-0) retired the first 13 Rockies hitters he faced, walked one and didn’t allow a hit until Raimel Tapia’s sharp single to left with one out in the fifth following C.J. Cron’s four-pitch walk. The Giants then turned an inning-ending double play.
The animated right-hander shuffled out to start the ninth and promptly gave up a pinch-hit triple to Chris Owings and Garrett Hampson’s sacrifice fly. Manager Gabe Kapler made a mound visit, and the pitcher could be seen shaking his head no — and he stayed in the game. Fans roared and chanted “Johnny! Johnny!”
“He’s a great competitor first of all. He’s passed the time with success, and I do think there’s a little bit of an entertainer aspect to Johnny, and I think that’s a good thing, because he backs it up,” Rockies manager Bud Black said.
“I think he likes being out there. I think he likes the big stage. He’s animated, but the thing that’s the most important thing is he pitches and he competes. He knows what his job is, and I think it’s fine that he does it with a little bit of a flair. I’ve only heard great things about Johnny Cueto.”
Cueto allowed a single to Trevor Story, his fourth hit allowed, and that ended his dominant day. Cueto threw 118 pitches. Jake McGee finished for his third save.
“I was hoping to get the last out but I knew the manager had the closer ready,” Cueto said.
2021.04.09 (SF Giants vs. Colorado Rockies) See video
San Francisco Giants’ Buster Posey is forced out at second base beneath Colorado Rockies shortstop Trevor Story on a fielder’s choice hit by Mauricio Dubon during the fifth inning of a baseball game, Friday, April 9, 2021, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)
2021.04.09 (SF Giants vs. Colorado Rockies) See video
2021.04.09 (SF Giants vs. Colorado Rockies) See video
Crawford delivered with the bases full and one out in the seventh against Tyler Kinley, who relieved Rockies starter Austin Gomber (0-2) after he allowed two walks. Alex Dickerson provided insurance with an RBI single in the eighth.
“For me it was especially gratifying to see Craw deliver,” Kapler said. “And then also just for Craw to be standing out there after that big hit, what ultimately turned out to be the game-winning hit, I’m sure there was a ton of pride. I’m really happy for Giants fans, both in the ballpark and at home, that they got to see Brandon do what he did.”
Charlie Blackmon was ejected by plate umpire Ben May in the seventh for arguing a called third strike by Cueto, who threw a 1-2-3 inning.
“I do think overall Charlie is usually right when he, and for lack of a better word, challenges the umpire on a strike zone,” Black said.
Buster Posey gave the Giants their first hit off Gomber in the fifth with one out. Posey was initially called safe at second on Story’s force attempt but the call was overturned on replay review that Story’s foot had been on the bag.
Gomber threw 104 pitches in his second start for Colorado since being acquired from St. Louis in the deal that sent Nolan Arenado to the Cardinals in February. Gomber faced San Francisco for the first time in his career after he took a 4-2 loss to the Dodgers on Sunday in his Colorado debut allowing a career-high seven walks.
2021.04.09 (Cueto dazzles, Crawford clutch) See video
The San Francisco Giants and the Colorado Rockies stand along the baselines during an opening day flyover before their baseball game Friday, April 9, 2021, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)
2021.04.09 (Cueto dazzles, Crawford clutch) See video
2021.04.09 (Cueto dazzles, Crawford clutch) See video
“As a whole I felt like my attack, my approach, my mindset was way better than the first time out,” Gomber said. “It was fun. He threw the ball really well. I thought I threw well.”
San Francisco, which missed the playoffs on the final day last season, won for the first time in its last four home openers — but has gone 15-7 starting the home schedule while playing at 22nd-year Oracle Park.
THE GABE KAPLER SHOW
Giants manager Gabe Kapler is entering his second season on the job, but Friday’s home opener in San Francisco was the first time that his team has played in front of a black-andorange crowd. And boy, did he make an impression.
Kapler loved playing to the crowd and at the Giants’ home opener, the crowd loved him. At least for a moment, that is. Truth be told, I’m rooting for it to happen. It could be the first turnaround of many in San Francisco.
While I’m not sure that in this era it’s best for a manager to be a showman, the nascent and fascinating relationship between the Giants’ skipper and the 7,390 in attendance at Oracle Park on Friday served as a reminder of how important the crowd is to a game.
I don’t think that Kapler would have managed the same in the same way had it only been cardboard cutouts in the stands Friday. And while it all worked out OK in the home opener, it’s something to pay attention to as the season progresses.
Kapler has earned a reputation as a spreadsheet jockey.
That kind of stuff – while ostensibly successful in this day and age – doesn’t fly around these parts. Not when you’re following Bruce Bochy as the Giants manager. That man managed via his gut. At least that’s how the legend goes. And the three World Series pennants flying in center field are cited as references in that legend.
But last year, with empty stadiums around baseball, Kapler – who came into his new job with serious skepticism – didn’t exactly win over Giants fans sitting at home.
In fact, the cry from most fans was to let the starting pitchers go deeper into games – to manage the game in a more classic manner, or, at the very least, to avoid using the Giants’ nerve wracking bullpen so often.
Friday, fans were able to make that same case in person. And Kapler, who showed at the start of the season that heard that message loud and clear, really seemed to revel in the opportunity to announce his change of heart.
Kapler turned the boos that showered him as he walked to the mound into cheers when he let Cueto remain in the game, despite his having thrown 110 pitches.
“It’s really interesting. He’s a performer. I think he was boosted by the fans.” Kapler said about Cueto, but really about himself.
And while Kapler did, indeed, hear some boos as he took Cueto out after he allowed another hit in the top of the ninth, those negative emotions were sparse, as the tying run was coming to the plate.
There’s nothing Kapler did that was egregious. Far from it. No one knows what makes a good manager in 2021 – success is such a fleeting concept, that decisions can only be judged with hindsight.
On this opener game, Kapler told us a much different story. And now I can’t wait to see the next episode of the Gabe Kapler show.
THE HOME RUN KING
The San Francisco Giants home run king Barry Bonds was among those 7,390 in attendance as fans returned to Oracle Park for the first time since the end of the 2019 season. Bonds was shown on the big screen before the sixth inning and fans cheered and chanted, “Barry! Barry!”
Posey played in front of the appreciative home crowd after he opted out last season to care for premature adopted twin girls.
“He deserves all that support, he’s meant so much to the city, this franchise, the players that are on the team right now,” Kapler said. “I certainly love when he gets that level of respect.”
The Rockies began a six-game road trip following their first winning series of the season against Arizona.
STOW’S SPECIAL MOMENT
Bryan Stow threw out the ceremonial first pitch to a standing ovation and cheers, 10 years after the Giants fan was severely beaten outside Dodger Stadium on opening day.
Among those shown on the scoreboard in remembrance before first pitch: Hall of Famers Hank Aaron and Joe Morgan, former manager Joe Altobelli, longtime scout Gary Hughes and ESPN baseball reporter Pedro Gomez.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Giants: 3B Evan Longoria had been set to play but was feeling side effects from the one-dose Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine he received during Thursday’s day off. Kapler said the majority of the club’s traveling party has now been vaccinated at least with the first round.
UP NEXT
Giants: RHP Logan Webb (0-1, 5.06 ERA) starts Saturday afternoon.
Rockies: RHP Chi Chi González (1-0, 5.40 ERA) starts Saturday afternoon.
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Read more at: San Francisco Giants Media Services / More AP MLB
JEstevez@EMIsportsCentral.com
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