Not a very pretty game for the Giants. With the team leading 4-1 and heading into the bottom of the 9th inning, Brian Wilson just couldn’t close the game out. Even though he didn’t walk anyone, you can see from the pitch location graph above that he wasn’t pounding the zone either. The start of the 9th for Wilson reads like a bad dream: double, single (RBI), force out, Justin Upton 2-run HR. Game tied and heading into extras where eventually the Giants would succumb to a bases-loaded walk-off single by Conor Jackson.
The 2-run HR by Upton was an absolute laser that left the stadium in about 2 seconds. From the graph above, it’s lower of the two red circles. Give Upton some credit, it wasn’t a terrible pitch by Wilson. Right-handed batters generally will have trouble with a 96 mph fastball down and in. But, Upton made solid contact and that was all she wrote. Of course, all of this happened during a Matt Cain start. Cain threw 7 solid innings and was in line for his third win of the year until bullpen shenanigans trashed that plan. So far in the young season, Cain has been the most consistent starter for the Giants.
Maybe next time, Brian.
