The Giants take their two game win streak on the road for a meeting with the Atlanta Braves, the first place team in the NL East.
The ball was given to Tim Lincecum to take on Mike Minor who was making his first start of the season coming off of injury. The Giants got off to another fast start in the first inning when Angel Pagan took Minor deep on a high fastball. Lincecum also got off to a rocky start, scattering baserunner in the first couple innings, but he was able to pitch out of the jams and keep the Braves off the scoreboard. Both pitchers then settled in and were able to command the strikezone well and use their off speed pitches effectively. In the 5th inning Lincecum got into a pickle, when he gave up an RBI single to Freddy Freeman with two outs. The Giants offense responded in the top of the 6th when Michael Morse hit an opposite field home run on a 0-1 fastball away that he muscled out of the yard. The Giants stellar bullpen then took over and made the one run lead stand with the good work from Jeremy Affeldt, Santiago Casilla and Sergio Romo.
San Francisco 2, Atlanta 1
In game 2 Ryan Vogelsong was taking on young Atlanta ace Julio Tehran who has been brilliant this season with a microscopic ERA in his past 3 starts. The Giants on the other hand did not care. In the second inning Brandon Belt joined the Giants weekend home run assult of the Braves with a solo home run on a 1-0 fastball down the middle. Vogelsong on the other hand was working hard in first few innings, working out of a jam in the second inning thanks to some timely defense. In the 3rd the Braves got to him with an RBI double by BJ Upton. After a single by Freeman, Vogey was in a first and third nobody out jam, but he kept his composure and made his pitches. He struck out Justin Upton and then Evan Gattis, with Buster Posey throwing out Freeman to complete the strike em out, throw em out double play. In the next inning the Giants did exactly what they did the night before, get the lead back. Buster Posey hit a solo home run off of Tehran on a 1-1 slider that he planted in the seats. Vogelsong continued as he settled down and went 6 strong only giving up the one run. In the top of the 7th the Giants padded their lead with their 5th solo home run of the series, this time by Morse on a first pitch mistake by Tehran. He wanted to sneak a slider in to steal a first pitch strike but he had to pay the price. The bullpen for the Giants shut the door again with Affeldt, Jean Machi and Romo doing their jobs.
San Francisco 3, Atlanta 1
Game 3 had a great pitching matchup between two great leftys, Madison Bumgarner against Alex Wood. Wood has been ridden with bad luck this season, having to face other teams aces every time he goes out on the mound. The Giants got off to yet another fast start with a run in the first inning with an RBI ground out by Buster Posey. It was the first run that the Giants had scored this series that was not a solo home run. Bumgarner looked sharp early with 4 strikeouts through the first 2 innings. He was touched up in the 3rd after a sacrifice fly by Jason Heyward scored Bryan Pena. An unearned run for Bumgarner. The Giants offense continued for the third straight day to comeback in the next inning to take the lead with their 6th solo home run of the series by Brandon Crawford. Bumgarner then went into shutdown mode and mowed down the Braves hitters while racking up strikeouts along the way. He took full advantage off the aggresive Brave hitters by getting them to chase pitches that were not strikes. They were frustrated and guessing all day. He finished by going 6 innings, 3 hits, 1 walk and 9 strikeouts. The bullpen did what they always do and kept the Braves hitters guessing for the final 3 innings. Brandon Crawford added another home run in the 8th inning, this one a 2-run shot on a 96 mph fastball by Jordan Walden that he left over the middle.
San Francisco 4, Atlanta 1
The Giants completed the 3 game sweep of the Braves on the road, something they haven't done since 1988. They have won 5 in a row and 9 of their last 10 as they reach the 20 win mark only 31 games into the season. They now head out to Pittsburgh to start a 3 game series with the Bucs tomorrow.
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