© Lance Iversen-USA TODAY Sports
SAN FRANCISCO — The second game of Saturday’s doubleheader was a rematch between Johnny Cueto and Alex Wood. Once again, Cueto prevailed as the San Francisco Giants (13-14) defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers (12-14) 8-3, splitting the doubleheader and taking an edge in the series.
As they did in the first game, the Dodgers jumped out to an early lead with a two-run home run off the bat of Corey Seager.
With Chris Taylor on second following a leadoff double, Seager found the seats atop Levi’s Landing for his second home run of the year and put the Dodgers ahead 2-0. By the end of the inning, the Dodgers jacked Cueto’s pitch count to 29.
That swing from Seager alone accounted for the most runs given up by Cueto in any start this year. Coming into Saturday, the only run he’d allowed on the year came in his second start of the season on April 4 against the Seattle Mariners.
Aside from that, Cueto had pitched two seven-inning shutouts and was fresh off a scoreless six-inning outing against the Los Angeles Angels.
After the first, Cueto settled in to retire the side in the second and third, but ran into trouble after walking the first two men in the fifth. Nonetheless, he escaped with a groundout, strikeout, and fly out to keep the Giants within striking distance of the Dodgers.
As for Wood, he faced the minimum the first time through the order, Evan Longoria’s single being erased by a double play. It wasn’t until the fifth inning that the Giants finally got to him.
Longoria nearly put the Giants on the scoreboard with a fly ball that sent Joc Pederson back to the warning track in left field. However, singles from Brandon Belt, Kelby Tomlinson, and Brandon Crawford loaded the bases with only one out.
Then, up to bat came Austin Jackson.
Here they come! #AJax
#SFGiants pic.twitter.com/eQOAJOnwPk
— San Francisco Giants (@SFGiants) April 29, 2018
During the offseason, the Giants signed Jackson primarily for his ability to hit left-handed pitching, a trait that would serve them well in their lefty-heavy division.
Jackson ripped a double into left field against Wood, a left-hander, that cleared the bases and gave the Giants a 3-2 lead. Crawford, who was on first, rounded third as Pederson bobbled the ball in the outfield, giving him just enough time to slide home safely.
In response, Cueto pitched a 1-2-3 inning in the sixth, which included freezing Chase Utley on his devastating changeup. It turned out to be Cueto’s final inning of work; finishing his start with two runs allowed, three hits, and three strikeouts. He maintained his lead in the major leagues with an 0.84 ERA.
Before Reyes Moronta entered the game in the seventh, Belt added to the Giants lead with two-out RBI single in the bottom of the sixth, putting the Giants ahead 4-2. Once he did, the Dodgers proceeded to load the bases with a single and two walks, the second of which brought his outing to a close without recording an out.
Moronta threw one pitch to Austin Barnes, a ball, before Sam Dyson took over command. The Giants traded a run for a double play and Dyson wrapped up the inning with a strikeout, keeping the Giants ahead 4-3.
The following inning, Evan Longoria made up for the run and then some with a bases loaded double in the bottom of the seventh, which led to a four-run seventh inning.
Jackson started the inning with a single, then back-to-back walks of Andrew McCutchen and Buster Posey filled the bases for Longoria, who smashed a double into left field. The Dodgers intentionally walked Belt to get to Kelby Tomlinson, who made them pay with a two-run single to put the Giants ahead 8-3.
That gave DJ Snelton a five-run lead when he made his major league debut in the eighth.
In nine innings of wrk at Triple-A Sacramento, Snelton was 1-1 with a 4.00 ERA and seven strikeouts. He was called up to the Giants right before the second game of the doubleheader, taking the spot of Roberto Gomez, who threw 73 pitches and worked 3.1 innings in the opening game.
After inducing a weak ground ball from Corey Seager, Snelton retired Yasmani Grandal on the first strikeout of his career. Then, he won a 10-pitch battle with Cody Bellinger to pitch a perfect inning.
Snelton stayed in the game for the ninth inning and gave up his first hit to Alex Verdugo. He got two pitches into the next at-bat before the Giants pulled him for Hunter Strickland, who shut the door and kept the Dodgers off the scoreboard.
The Giants and Dodgers wrap up their marathon four-game series on Sunday at 2:05 PM. Ty Blach will go for the Giants and face Kenta Maeda.