Kyle Harrison looked completely rusty when he returned to the mound on Saturday in Cleveland.
The De La Salle High graduate put San Francisco behind by 4 runs early on, and although the Giants fought back late, they ultimately lost 5-4 to the AL Central-leading Guardians.
After missing the last 19 games due to an ankle sprain, Harrison pitched 3 ⅓ innings in his first start since June 10, allowing 4 hits and 4 runs and walking 4 batters. Harrison didn’t pitch in a rehab game before his game Saturday.
The Giants had several opportunities to attain and possibly take the lead, but were unable to capitalize. San Francisco finished the sport 1 for 13 with runners in scoring position.
Jorge Soler shone because the leadoff hitter, going 1 for 3 with a double and two walks. Tyler Fitzgerald scored two runs with an RBI single.
Fremont native Steven Kwan went 2-for-4 and had a solo home run for Cleveland.
“(Kyle) was out for a while and didn't pitch in a game,” Giants manager Bob Melvin said. “Once he got going a little bit, it looked like he was getting better toward the end. For a while, it looked like I was going to have to move somebody up in the first inning, but he did it and kept us there.”
“We fought back really well and made it a game that we didn't expect at the beginning. Offensively we had our chances, but overall I think Kyle will be much better next time he plays.”
The Guardians attacked Harrison early.
Kwan hit a single, second baseman Angel Martínez was stopped on a walk and José Ramírez hit a single to center field as Cleveland's top-scoring team loaded the bases in the primary inning.
Cleanup hitter Josh Naylor scored Kwan on a ground out, giving Cleveland its first run of the sport. After Harrison reloaded the bases by allowing a walk to David Fry, Jhonkensy brought Noel Martínez home on a deep sacrifice fly to center field. In the subsequent at-bat, Tyler Freeman hit Ramírez home, giving Cleveland a 3-0 lead at the underside of the primary inning.
In the second inning, Kwan hit a pitch near the highest of the strike zone that flew past the middle field wall, giving the Guardians a four-run lead.
Harrison was eliminated within the fourth inning after 72 pitches, 44 of which were strikes.
“Honestly, I think it was just a rough first inning,” Harrison said. “I worked a little too fast and wasn't really up and running in the first inning and had too many walks. … I wasted a lot of pitches and they came at me in the first inning and I was pretty upset because I knew I didn't have many left.”
The Giants struggled against Cleveland starter Logan Allen, managing just two hits in 4 innings, but San Francisco's offense really got entering into the fifth inning.
Jorge began the inning with a leadoff walk. Later, Heliot Ramos hit a single, prompting Guardians manager Stephen Vogt to switch left-handed Barlow with right-handed pitcher Scott Barlow.
Matt Chapman got here on in Barlow's first at-bat and loaded the bases with one out within the inning. Fitzgerald hit a single to center field, scoring Soler and Ramos and putting the Giants on the scoreboard.
San Francisco capped off its comeback with a double steal, with Chapman scoring from third base to chop Cleveland's result in 4-3.
Cleveland prolonged the result in two runs again within the sixth inning when Noel hit a house run to left field against reliever Luke Jackson, Jackson's fourth home run allowed this yr.
The Giants got back inside striking distance within the seventh inning after Michael Conforto's RBI double scored Chapman and brought the rating to 5-4.
In the ninth inning, Cleveland closer Emmanuel Clase struck out Mike Yastrzemski, Ramos and Conforto, ending the sport for the host Guardians.
The end of the road trip is near for San Francisco, because the team plays Cleveland tomorrow before starting a six-game home series before the All-Star break. Right-hander Hayden Birdsong is predicted to start out Sunday.
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