What we learned when Harrison ran out of steam in the Giants’ loss originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
RESULT
For the first time on their road trip, the Giants played a game that was decided by more than a point, but that didn’t help them get back on track.
The Milwaukee Brewers rode a strong fifth inning to a 5-3 victory on a night when the Giants continued to lose ground in the MLB playoff race. They now trail the Atlanta Braves, who swept the Minnesota Twins for their 12th win in the last 16 games.
The Giants hoped to hold onto their position, but they were powerless against veteran right-hander Freddy Peralta, the last man in what has been a dominant rotation in baseball for years. Peralta pitched a shutout in six innings and the Brewers took a big lead with a quick five-run rally in the fifth inning.
Michael Conforto’s double sparked a comeback attempt in the eighth inning, with the Giants scoring three runs and Matt Chapman scoring the tying point. The Brewers turned to right-hander Joel Payamps, who sank a nice slider for an inning-ending strikeout.
A bad track
For four innings, Kyle Harrison looked as good as he has all season, allowing just one hit with five strikeouts against the best team in the NL Central and displaying his best fastball velocity in about six weeks and a sharp slider.
The game fell apart very quickly, however, and the rookie left-hander had a tough time of it. Jackson Chourio’s seeing-eye single put the Brewers on the scoreboard and Blake Perkins brought home two runs with a double off the wall. William Contreras hammered the next pitch over the wall in left-center field.
One of Harrison’s most promising starts ended with him allowing five earned runs in 4 2/3 innings. He struck out seven times and walked three.
Embarrassing night
Right at the start of the game, it was reported that Thairo Estrada had been placed on waivers — along with left-handers Taylor Rogers and Tyler Matzek. It’s unclear if Estrada knew about this before the game, and it’s possible the Giants approached him and asked if he’d like a chance to play for a contender, but either way, it was a bit awkward.
The three players can continue playing during the process. Estrada started at second base and went 2 for 4 with an RBI.
The New
Austin Warren took over in the sixth inning and threw two scoreless innings in his first major league appearance since April 23, 2013. The right-hander allowed one hit and struck out one, getting out of a potential jam in his second inning when a liner back to the mound turned into a double play. Warren showed off a fastball that reached 95 mph as well as a slider.
The 28-year-old previously played in the major leagues with the Los Angeles Angels but spent most of this season recovering from Tommy John surgery. He was recalled earlier this week when the Giants placed Jordan Hicks on the injured list.
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