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Relying on Bullpen, Giants Go for 4-Game Sweep of Cubs
The San Francisco Giants are near the very edge of clearing the Chicago Cubs in a four-game home series, an accomplishment they haven’t achieved starting around 2012. After an unpleasant series in Chicago, the Giants have bounced back stunningly at home, depending vigorously on their warm up area.
Giants’ Recent Performance
The Giants have won the first three games of the series with scores of 5-4, 5-1, and 4-3, showcasing strong pitching and timely defense. They opted for a bullpen-heavy strategy in the first two games and continued this approach in the third game after starter Hayden Birdsong was pulled in the fifth inning.
“Those were huge,” Giants manager Bob Melvin said about key defensive plays. “We’re trying to get better at it. Recently it’s been a struggle for us, those extra bases and easy bases. So to get a couple (outs) today, both were big.”
Bob Melvin
Bullpen Brilliance
Relievers Luke Jackson, Erik Miller, Tyler Rogers, and Camilo Doval have been pivotal, shutting down the Cubs’ offense over the final 4 1/3 innings of Wednesday’s game. Their efforts included critical rally-killing plays, such as Jackson picking off Christopher Morel at first base and Rogers catching Ian Happ leaning off second base.
Jordan Hicks Takes the Mound
Jordan Hicks is set to start for the Giants on Thursday, hoping to give the bullpen some much-needed rest. Hicks has a 4-4 record with a 3.24 ERA this season. He pitched five shutout innings in the series opener in Chicago, improving his career numbers against the Cubs to 2-1 with a 2.88 ERA in 19 games.
However, Hicks struggled in his last start against the St. Louis Cardinals, allowing five runs in four innings.
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Cubs’ Struggles and Response
The Cubs, looking to avoid their second five-game losing streak of the season, will counter with left-hander Shota Imanaga. Imanaga, with a 7-2 record and a 2.96 ERA, is also aiming to bounce back from a rough outing where he allowed 10 runs in three-plus innings against the New York Mets.
“It’s more so lowering the output, lowering the intensity, so throughout the game, I can maintain it, and I would say moving forward, I just need to make an adjustment on how I do that.”
Shota Imanaga
Key Players to Watch
Giants
- Jordan Hicks: Needs to bounce back from a poor outing and give the bullpen a break.
- Luke Jackson, Erik Miller, Tyler Rogers, and Camilo Doval: These relievers have been crucial and will be relied upon again if needed.
Cubs
- Shota Imanaga: Must adjust his approach to avoid another disastrous start.
- Ian Happ and Christopher Morel: Critical for generating offense and avoiding defensive mistakes.
Defensive Improvements
The Giants’ recent defensive plays have been crucial in close games. Manager Bob Melvin has emphasized the importance of improving their defense, which has shown in their recent games against the Cubs.
Conclusion
Due to important defensive plays and strong performances from the bullpen, the Giants are poised to sweep the Cubs in a four-game series played at home. With Jordan Hicks on the hill and a versatile warm up area prepared to move forward, the Monsters plan to proceed with their triumphant ways and secure a critical series clear. In the meantime, the Cubs will rely on Shota Imanaga to turn things around and stop a second losing streak.
