SAN FRANCISCO -- The Kansas City Royals entered the night just one win behind the Giants, and it's not hard to see how they have done it. They essentially are the Midwest version of the team that plays at Oracle Park every night.
The Royals haven't hit much in recent weeks, but they have good rotation depth and an excellent bullpen. The Giants figured this would be a tense, low-scoring series, and through two games that's been the case.
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SIGN UP HERE The second game went to the Giants, who got a strong return to the rotation from Hayden Birdsong and some tremendous defense, particularly from their Gold Glove catcher, as they won 3-2 to even this three-game set.
Birdsong took over for Jordan Hicks in the starting rotation and allowed just an unearned run in five innings. The Giants scored three runs for him in the middle innings, but they had to hold on late on a night when the bullpen was short. Here are three things to know ...
Sounded Good
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Birdsong is as laid back as anyone on the team, but he probably was a bit annoyed by the third inning. He gave up a leadoff single and then whipped a pickoff throw down the right field line, allowing the runner, Drew Waters, to reach second. A wild pitch got him to third and a sacrifice fly brought him home.
That was the only run on Birdsong's line in his 17th career big league start. The Giants had him set for about 75 pitches and the 76th turned into a two-out double by Kyle Isbel in the fifth, but Birdsong got Jonathan India to fly out to strand the runner. He gave up five hits, walked one and struck out four while showing the same velocity he had as a reliever. In the first, he struck out Royals star Bobby Witt Jr. on a 98.4 mph fastball at the letters.
The Other Young Guy
There never was any doubt that it would be Birdsong who would take the open rotation spot. Manager Bob Melvin said last week that there wasn't any conversation about whether Birdsong or Kyle Harrison was next, but Harrison will get his shot at some point. It might not be this year, though.
The Giants worked to keep Birdsong stretched out, but Harrison was used in an interesting way Tuesday night. With some tired arms in the bullpen, Harrison was asked to protect a two-run lead in the top of the seventh. The 23-year-old looked comfortable with the added responsibility.
Harrison struck out former teammate Mark Canha to start his night and also blew away Waters in a quick seventh inning. He came back out for the eighth and gave up a double before getting leadoff hitter Jonathan India to ground out. From there, Camilo Doval took over.
Harrison averaged 96 mph with his four-seamer and topped out at 96.7. Seven of his eight fastballs were strikes and he mixed in eight sliders, getting five strikes.
Patty Pop Time
Witt Jr. is in the 100th percentile in Sprint Speed and got down the line in 30.8 seconds -- well into "elite" territory -- on his infield single. But he was cut down by the man who is in the 100th percentile in Pop Time.
Patrick Bailey threw a pair of runners out in a close game. He's well on his way to a second Gold Glove, which would make him the first Giants catcher to win more than one.