The San Francisco Giants will look for their third consecutive victory when they play host to the Philadelphia Phillies in the middle game of a three-game series on Tuesday.
The Giants received home runs from Wilmer Flores, Evan Longoria and Curt Casali in a 5-4, 10-inning win on Monday.
“I’m getting more at-bats, which is nice for timing,” Casali said postgame on NBC Sports Bay Area after hitting the decisive long ball in the 10th inning. “I’ve been putting the work in the cage and I went to a heavier bat. The guys are getting on in front of me and giving me room to produce.”
Longoria has also homered five times in the past five games.
Jakob Junis (2-1, 2.76 ERA) is scheduled to start Tuesday for the Giants. In his latest start, Wednesday against the New York Mets, he tossed six innings and gave up three hits and two runs.
Junis lost his lone career start against the Phillies, when he gave up five runs (four earned) in 4 1/3 innings on May 12, 2019.
Giants manager Gabe Kapler has been impressed with Junis this season, especially in his most recent start.
“He created a guessing game in the hitters’ minds,” Kapler said after that contest. “He kept them off balance.”
There had been some hope that Brandon Belt could return at some point in this series, but Kapler said that the first baseman’s right knee will need more rest.
The Phillies will hope to avoid a fifth straight loss on Tuesday when they give the ball to Ranger Suarez (4-3, 4.74 ERA).
After being swept in a three-game series by the New York Mets, the Phillies stumbled at home in the opener against the Giants.
Nick Castellanos, Kyle Schwarber and Rhys Hoskins homered for Philadelphia on Monday, but it wasn’t enough. Mickey Moniak made his season debut in center field and contributed a sliding catch but went 0-for-4. Moniak had been recuperating from a broken right hand.
“I’m not too aware of it,” Moniak said of the fans expecting him to provide a boost. “I try to stay off social media as much as I can. I’m just trying to be myself. I’m trying to come here and be me, go out there and play baseball like I know I can. Try to do every little thing possible to help the team.”
The result was another loss for the Phillies, who have dropped a season-worst seven games below .500.
“It’s tough, but everybody in that room, everybody in this room, has went through hard times in their life and they went to the other side,” Philadelphia manager Joe Girardi said.
The Phillies have lost their past four games in a variety of ways. For a team with playoff aspirations, it has been a frustrating stretch.
Philadelphia hasn’t reached the postseason since 2011.
“They’ve just got to continue to do their work, continue to grind it out and it’s gonna turn,” Girardi said. “I believe in them.”
Suarez will attempt to bounce back from his Wednesday start against the Atlanta Braves, when he struggled in 4 1/3 innings, allowing five runs on six hits and four walks.
Suarez is 1-0 with a 1.17 ERA in four career appearances, all in relief, against the Giants.
–Field Level Media
