SAN FRANCISCO -- It's not easy to sweep any MLB team, but given how bad the Chicago White Sox (31-97) have been this year, the Giants kind of needed to this week. Their hopes fell apart in the ninth inning Wednesday.
After another lackluster effort offensively, they gave up four runs in the top of the ninth, falling 6-2 to a White Sox group that had been 3-26 in the second half. Old friend John Brebbia closed it out in the bottom of the ninth, handing the Giants a bitter loss on a day when they wasted another strong effort from Logan Webb.
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The Giants were a strike away from heading into the bottom of the ninth with the game tied at two, but Korey Lee smoked a bases-loaded single up the middle after Spencer Bivens replaced Erik Miller. The next batter, Lenyn Sosa, brought two more runs home with a hard single to left.
It was an ugly frame that might have actually started to go sideways a night earlier. The Giants wasted several opportunities to blow Tuesday night's game open and ended up having to use MLB appearances leaders Tyler Rogers and Ryan Walker to close it out. A day later, it appeared neither was available in a close game.
Webb Gem
Webb dealt with a bit more traffic than in his previous four outings, but once again he was out there late in the game. He allowed two runs over eight, striking out six.
San Francisco Giants
Webb has pitched at least seven innings in 15 of his 27 starts, by far the most in the majors. The next-closest is Cy Young frontrunner Chris Sale at 11 such outings, although Webb -- last year's runner-up -- is starting to come up in his rearview mirror.
By getting through eight for the third time this season, Webb moved back atop MLB's innings leaderboard. At 172 2/3 innings, he's 18 clear of second place in the National League, and he has thrown 32 more innings than Sale, who leads the league with a 2.62 ERA. Webb is up to fifth at 3.13.
Double Trouble
Crochet has been on a pitch count lately because this is his first full season as a starter, and early on it looked like the Giants would have to wait until he was removed to get on the scoreboard. They had just a Casey Schmitt double the first time through the order, but Mark Canha and Heliot Ramos hit back-to-back doubles to lead off the bottom of the fourth, sparking a rally.
Jerar Encarnacion did something the Giants haven't in recent weeks: A grounder to second was a productive out and brought Canha home. Thairo Estrada's single to right tied the game. That ended up being it for Crochet, who threw just 57 pitches.
The Usual
Sometimes words aren't really necessary ...
It's the type of play that Matt Chapman has made with regularity this season. The four-time Gold Glove Award winner could be headed for a fifth trophy; he entered the day leading all MLB third basemen in Defensive Runs Saved and he's tied for third in Outs Above Average.
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