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The Yankees spoiled Tony Vitello's debut as San Francisco Giants manager.
The San Francisco Giants fell 8-3 to the Colorado Rockies on Saturday night, extending their losing streak to five games and putting first-year manager Tony Vitello in a difficult position heading into Sunday’s series finale.
It came a night after a painful collapse. San Francisco carried a 6-3 lead into the ninth inning on Friday before the Rockies rallied for two home runs and an 8-6 win. Saturday offered no relief.
Colorado jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning and never looked back.
Vitello Sends Message to Giants
GettyManager Tony Vitello of the San Francisco Giants.
Vitello addressed the media after the loss and made his feelings clear. He wants to see more from this group when things get difficult.
“We need to take a little more pride, I think, in how we…It’s ideal to not have last night occur, but bounce back,” Vitello said. “I got the vibe like we were in a position to do that. The first six outs we had at the plate would say that, but getting in a hole makes it a little tougher after that.”
The Giants got just 3.2 innings from starter Adrian Houser, with Vitello turning to three relievers to get through the night. The Rockies racked up 14 hits as a team. Drew Gilbert provided a late highlight with a two-run home run in the eighth, but it was too little by then.
What the Streak Means
Five straight losses is a concerning stretch for any team, but the manner of some of these defeats has been the bigger issue. Friday’s collapse after leading by three runs in the ninth set a difficult tone heading into Saturday. The Giants could not recover.
The pitching has not held up. The offense has not provided enough cushion. Vitello is in his first year managing at this level and is navigating a rough patch early in the process.
Sunday’s series finale gives San Francisco a chance to stop the bleeding. Robbie Ray gets the ball, looking to snap a two-game losing streak of his own. The Milwaukee Brewers are up next after that.
Giants Final Word
Five straight losses is a stretch that needs to end.
Vitello has made it clear what he wants to see. The response on Sunday will say something about where this group is at.
Ray takes the mound. The Giants need a win.
Keith Watkins Keith Watkins is a sports journalist covering the NBA for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Golden State Warriors, Boston Celtics, and Los Angeles Lakers. He previously wrote for FanSided, NBA Analysis Network, and Last Word On Sports. Keith is based in Bangkok, Thailand. More about Keith Watkins