Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports
The Giants’ biggest win Saturday came via the X-ray machine.
Buster Posey is OK after his left elbow was drilled by a 90-mph Sandy Alcantara changeup that forced the catcher out of the game. X-rays were negative, and it’s just a contusion, Gabe Kapler said after the Giants’ 7-6, 10-inning loss in Miami.
Posey hung in the game after the seventh-inning pitch came barreling toward his upper body, Posey sticking up the elbow that acted as a shield for his face. He took first base after getting looked at by a trainer and scored on Austin Slater’s home run, but Curt Casali was in to catch for the bottom of the inning.
Casali likely would have started Sunday regardless, Posey having played the first two games at LoanDepot Park and Sunday being a day game after a night game.
Sandy Alcantara hits Buster Posey way up and in. Luckily Buster was able to get his elbow up to protect himself pic.twitter.com/C0MSolzAQy
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) April 18, 2021
Casali and Jarlin Garcia had obvious trouble getting on the same page in the decisive 10th inning. With Adam Duvall, the Marlins’ ghost-runner, on second, they could not figure out the signs, and teams typically have to use a different set of signs with a runner on second.
Kapler placed the blame on Garcia, who allowed a walk-off, two-run double to Jorge Alfaro.
“We just need him to understand and know the signs better,” the manager said over Zoom. “He has to be synched up with our catchers, and we’ve been working really hard with him on that. Tonight it wasn’t there.
“I don’t know that alone was responsible for the outcome of the game. I do think, more importantly, it was just execution of his pitches.”
The Giants, who had emptied the bench for a game that then went into extra innings, turned to pitcher Anthony DeSclafani to pinch-hit in the 10th.
“He was the best offensive pitcher that we had available at that point, both for swinging the bat and getting a bunt,” Kapler said after DeSclafani bunted, with Donovan Solano getting thrown out at second on the play. “I thought the bunt was fine. Alfaro is one of the most athletic catchers in baseball and made a nice play on that ball.”
If something had happened to Casali, the Giants’ backup catcher, Mauricio Dubon would have been their emergency catcher. Kapler said he caught some in high school.
Kapler said he saw “big improvements” from his offense, which exploded for five seventh-inning runs but was shut out before the 10th otherwise. Slater had the big blow, and Brandon Belt also homered.
“I think that’s the type of offense that we’re capable of being, the type that can put up a big inning,” Kapler said. “…You win a lot of games when you have big innings. It’s really tough to win one-run ballgames, your pitching has to be excellent. I think the way we will win more games with our group is by putting crooked numbers up and having big innings.”