Blake Snell strikes out career-high 15 strikeouts as SF Giants win first game of doubleheader

SAN FRANCISCO — The last time Blake Snell took the mound at Oracle Park, he flirted with a perfect game across seven brilliant innings. Snell wouldn’t make another true run at that historical feat, but on a chilly, overcast Saturday afternoon, the left-hander was every bit as dominant — and more.

Snell set a new career-high with 15 strikeouts over six scoreless innings as the Giants beat the Rockies, 4-1, in the first leg of their doubleheader on Saturday afternoon at Oracle Park, becoming the first Giant to record that many strikeouts in a game since Tim Lincecum in July 2009.

Along with the strikeouts, Snell induced 30 swings-and-misses, a mark that’s not just the most by any pitcher this season, but the most that Snell has had in a single start in his career. Of those 30 whiffs, Snell induced 14 with his curveball, which, appropriately enough, is also the most he’s had in a single start in his career.

most swings & misses in a game, Giants under pitch tracking (2008, including playoffs):

2010 NLDS G1 Tim Lincecum: 31
Today Blake Snell: 30
7/13/13 Tim Lincecum: 29
7/21/24 Hayden Birdsong: 27
7/9/22 Carlos Rodón: 27

— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) July 28, 2024

Snell set the tone for his afternoon by striking out Ezequiel Tovar, the Rockies’ leadoff hitter, on three pitches. He would punch out two batters apiece in the first and second; three in the third and fourth; and two in the fifth. Snell walked Tovar to begin the sixth, but proceeded to strike out the next three batters he faced. Snell’s final pitch of the day was, appropriately enough, a curveball in the dirt that Kris Bryant had no chance of hitting. As he walked off the mound, Snell received a thunderous standing ovation.

The left-hander had a rocky beginning to his tenure in San Francisco, hitting the injured list twice in the first half and underperforming whenever he did take the mound, a product of having a reduced spring training. But in recent weeks, Snell has looked the part of a reigning Cy Young Award winner. Over his last four starts since coming off the injured list, Snell has allowed two earned runs across 24 innings (0.75 ERA) with 30 strikeouts to seven walks.

For all of Snell’s dominance, he ended up saddled with a no decision after Ryan Walker allowed a solo home run to Michael Toglia in the seventh inning, tying the game at one apiece. In the bottom of the frame, San Francisco took advantage of an error by Toglia as Patrick Bailey drove in two runs with a double.

Well before Toglia and Bailey’s seventh-inning swings, Matt Chapman got the Giants on the scoreboard with a solo home run in the second inning, his 15th of the season. Chapman had another loud swing of the bat in the eighth, roping a 109.6 mph double to left-center field and scoring on a wild pitch.

Mike Baumann designated for assignment

Prior to the first game of Saturday’s doubleheader, the Giants designated right-handed reliever Mike Baumann for assignment.

In a corresponding move, right-hander Spencer Bivens was recalled from Triple-A Sacramento. Right-hander Hayden Birdsong was also called up to be the team’s 27th man for the doubleheader.

San Francisco acquired Baumann on Sunday after he was designated for assignment by the Mariners. In his Giants debut on Friday, Baumann allowed two earned runs and recorded two outs.