Giants Sweep Nationals and Cap First Half to All-Start
Gausman with one-run ball game and Casali three run homer.
San Francisco Giants’ Curt Casali hits a three-run home run against the Washington Nationals during the second inning of a baseball game Sunday, July 11, 2021, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar)
2021.07.11 – The San Francisco Giants head into the All-Star break after capping the first half of the season with the best record in the MLB at 57-32.
Kevin Gausman worked six-plus innings of one-run ball and Curt Casali hit a three-run homer as the Giants beat the Washington Nationals 3-1 on Sunday to complete a three-game sweep.
We all know playoff tickets aren’t punched in July and World Series trophies aren’t hoisted until the fall, but with the first half in the books, the Giants and their fans can start thinking about October baseball.
A playoff berth that once seemed like a far-fetched dream for a club playing in a stacked National League West is now well within reach as Gabe Kapler’s club reached the All-Star break.
The Giants credit much of their success leading into the All-Star break to Gausman, who departed after another brilliant start on Sunday to participate in the All-Star Game festivities in Denver. The Colorado native has been one of the best pitchers in baseball this year and improved to 9-3. He struck out nine and held Washington to four hits as he lowered his ERA to 1.73, second in the majors to the Mets’ Jacob deGrom (1.08).
“It’s pretty impressive,” Casali said. “I don’t know what his ERA ended up, it’s sub-2. That’s kind of incredible. To kind of back up what he started last year is even more impressive. I’m just really proud of him and happy.”
“It’s pretty impressive,” Casali said. “I don’t know what his ERA ended up, it’s sub-2. That’s kind of incredible. To kind of back up what he started last year is even more impressive. I’m just really proud of him and happy.”
Casali, filling in for injured All-Star catcher Buster Posey, hit an 0-1 sinker from Erick Fedde (4-6) to left-center in the second to put the Giants ahead 3-0. In his nine career games against Washington, Casali is 12 for 23 (.522) with four homers.
“I think it’s worth noting that on this homestand we won games and did it without our No. 1 All-Star catcher,” Giants manager Gabe Kapler said. “We had four different catchers start games on this homestand. I think that’s just a good example of how we’ve stepped up for each other as a team.”
2021.07.11 (SF Giants vs. Washington Nationals) See video Highlights
San Francisco Giants shortstop Brandon Crawford (35) and second baseman Donovan Solano, right, celebrate their victory over the Washington Nationals in a baseball game Sunday, July 11, 2021, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar)
2021.07.11 (SF Giants vs. Washington Nationals) See video Highlights
2021.07.11 (SF Giants vs. Washington Nationals) See video Highlights
Gausman’s splitter has been one of the best pitches in baseball this season and it remained that way on Sunday as the Nationals whiffed at 10 of the 19 splitters at which they swung.
“It’s been a lot of fun,” Gausman said of his 2021 season. “I feel like I’ve said it every five days, but it’s a lot of fun to come to the ballpark and I think Farhan (Zaidi) said it a couple of days ago, the clubhouse atmosphere here is great.”
The only run Gausman allowed came in the seventh as he issued back-to-back walks and gave up a bloop single before Kapler pulled him in favor of right-hander Dominic Leone.
Leone limited the damage, but the Nationals scored on a groundout before stranding a pair of runners. Leone induced a shallow flyout and struck out Victor Robles to end the inning.
“If you said we’d give up one run and get out of it, if that was the option, I’d take it every day and twice on Sunday,” Casali said. “(Leone) has developed into a really nice role in our bullpen.
Starlin Castro doubled with two outs in the top of the ninth, but Giants closer Jake McGee retired Josh Harrison on a lineout to second baseman Donovan Solano to earn his 19th save.
Washington wobbles into the break having lost nine of its past 11 and trails the first-place Mets by six games in the NL East.
“We’ve still got a lot of season left, and I’m excited about that,” Nationals manager Dave Martinez said. “We’ll get some of our guys back, hopefully. We get that four days off, come back re-energized and try to creep back into this thing.”
2021.07.11 (All-Star Game decisions) See video
Washington Nationals’ Juan Soto (22) is congratulated by manager Dave Martinez after he scored a run against the San Francisco Giants during the seventh inning of a baseball game Sunday, July 11, 2021, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar)
2021.07.11 (All-Star Game decisions) See video
2021.07.11 (All-Star Game decisions) See video
Gausman ended the first half with a 1.65 ERA that’s the lowest by a Giants pitcher through his first 18 starts since Hal Schumacher had a 1.39 ERA in 1933.
“When we took Gaus out of the game, I mentioned to him I thought it was one of the better first halves I’ve been around,” Kapler said. “This is as a player and as a manager, from any angle in baseball, it was that good.” It was fitting for a club that finished the first half atop the NL West.
One of the Giants’ greatest strengths through the first half of the season has been their incredible depth, and Casali’s production in place of injured starter Posey has been critical of late.
Casali has hit four home runs and is batting over .400 with an OPS above 1.200 since returning from the injured list on June 12.
“I’m just happy to contribute,” Casali said. “It means the world to me and I’m just thrilled to be a part of a great team.”
ROSTER MOVES
Washington placed reliever Kyle McGowin on the 10-day injured list with right biceps fatigue after he left Saturday’s game early. Right-hander Andres Machado was recalled from Triple-A Rochester to take his spot.
The Giants optioned right-hander Tyler Beede to Triple-A Sacramento, a day after he gave up three runs in one inning of relief. He’ll return to starting duties in the minors, Kapler said. Lefty reliever Caleb Baragar was recalled.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Giants: Tommy La Stella (fractured thumb) played five innings at second base and went 0 for 2 Saturday in his first rehab appearance for Sacramento.
UP NEXT
After the All-Star break, the Nationals will host San Diego for a three-game series that starts Friday.
The Giants open up the second half with a three-game series at St. Louis. Neither team has announced its starting pitcher.
RELATED: See below – 2021.06.05 (SF Giants vs. Chicago Cubs)
Read more at: San Francisco Giants Media Services / More AP MLB
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Giants edge Cubs and keep on rolling