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What we learned as Cobb serves home cooking in win over A's

Alex Pavlovic
·3 min read
2

What we learned as Cobb serves home cooking in win over A's originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO -- After scoring just nine runs over their previous six games, the Giants managed just two on Tuesday night. But against the last-place Athletics, that was enough.

Mike Yastrzemski pulled an RBI double over first base with two outs in the bottom of the eighth, handing a lead to Camilo Doval for the first time since he closed out two games on the same day in Cincinnati. The All-Star closer locked up a 2-1 win in front of 40,000 fans, snapping the Giants' six-game losing streak.

The return home didn't do anything to jumpstart a collection of ice-cold bats. The A's went with an opener in front of lefty Ken Waldichuk, who has a 6.75 ERA this season, and the Giants managed just one run off the pair.

A leadoff walk of Wilmer Flores and single by Patrick Bailey got the Giants going in the fifth, and when the A's couldn't handle Brett Wisely's bunt, they had the bases loaded with Austin Slater up against a lefty. Slater struck out and Casey Schmitt flew out to medium right, but Cody Thomas' throw was cut off and Flores scored the game's first run. LaMonte Wade Jr. struck out to end the inning.

For a while, it looked like starting pitcher Alex Cobb would make that run hold up. Cobb struck out nine in six shutout innings, but the A's scratched a run across off Tyler Rogers in the top of the eighth to tie it up.

All-Star Stuff

In his second full big league season in Tampa Bay, Cobb made an odd kind of MLB history. He struck out 13 batters in a 2013 game against the Padres, but he threw so many pitches (117) that he only lasted 4 2/3 innings. That night, Cobb became the first player to strike out 13 in fewer than five innings.

A decade later, Cobb looked like he might take a run at that number that remains his career high. He struck out the side in the first, and then struck out three more after a leadoff double in the second. His first seven outs came via the strikeout, but he didn't end up getting close to his personal record.

In his six shutout innings, Cobb got 14 swinging strikes, including 10 on his splitter. He allowed just three hits and walked one.

Home Cooking

Cobb has had a couple of blowup starts on the road this season, but he looks like a Cy Young frontrunner every time he takes the mound at Oracle Park. He hasn't given up a run at home since May 16, a stretch of 19 2/3 innings. If you go back to his shutout on April 24, Cobb has allowed just two runs over his last six home starts. He's the first pitcher in franchise history to ever pull that off.

Cobb has now made eight starts at Oracle Park this season and has left with a zero on the scoreboard five times. He has a 1.09 ERA at home this season but is at 4.63 in 11 starts on the road.

Still Struggling

Waldichuk has bounced between the rotation and bullpen, and in his two previous starts he allowed seven earned over eight innings. The Giants managed just one hit off him and struck out six times. With 4 2/3 innings, Waldichuk had his longest outing since May 19.

The Giants entered the night with a .619 OPS in July, easily the lowest in the big leagues. Their .202 average is also last and they're 28th in homers this month. On a related note, the trade deadline is a week away.

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