Blake Snell remains winless with Giants but focuses on positive strides while awaiting baby

By JANIE McCAULEY
AP Baseball Writer

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — When Blake Snell takes the mound, his mind is all on pitching — even with a baby on the way who will make him a first-time father.

With a no-decision for the Giants in Monday’s 8-4 win against the Phillies, the reigning NL Cy Young Award winner remains winless with San Francisco since signing a $62 million, two-year contract in March. He is eager to get on a roll and is focusing on the positive strides he’s making while getting to know the staff.

“I think I’m in a good place,” he said, noting that along with girlfriend Haeley Mar they are prepared. “Whatever happens I feel like we’ll be ready for. She knows how focused I am on pitching and how much it means to me.”

Brett Wisely doubled in a key insurance run in the sixth inning after an earlier RBI single, and Patrick Bailey hit a go-ahead sacrifice fly in the fifth for San Francisco.

Randy Rodríguez (1-0) relieved and pitched two innings for his first major league win.

“I feel more confident each day and get more motivated when I see the results,” he said.

Thairo Estrada’s hard grounder scored the tying run in the fifth when the ball glanced off third baseman Alec Bohm’s glove for an error.

Heliot Ramos added a two-run single in the seventh as the Giants won for the ninth time in 11 games, much to the delight of the holiday sellout crowd of 40,598. San Francisco was swept in a four-game series at Philadelphia from May 3-6, getting outscored 29-11.

The Phillies fought back after trailing 3-0 to go ahead 4-3. Kyle Schwarber connected for his 10th homer with a two-run drive in the third. Edmundo Sosa hit a one-out triple in the fourth, then scored the tying run moments later on Snell’s wild pitch.

Johan Rojas hit a go-ahead single in the fourth to score Whit Merrifield, who reached on third baseman Matt Chapman’s fielding error.

Mike Yastrzemski hit a two-run double in the second and Wisely added an RBI single one out later as San Francisco supported Snell early.

The left-hander, who is 0-3 in six career starts against the Phillies, gave up J.T. Realmuto’s one-out double in the first and then Schwarber’s drive. Snell struck out seven and walked two over four innings.

Snell came off the three-day paternity list Sunday, though his girlfriend hadn’t given birth to their child.

Realmuto extended his career-best hitting streak to 16 games — matching the longest by a Phillies player primarily playing catcher since 1900. Stan Lopata did it from July 29 to Aug. 14, 1956, and Jimmie Wilson from April 19 to May 17, 1934.

Phillies right-hander Taijuan Walker (3-1) allowed six runs on nine hits over six innings in his 200th career start. He became the 34th active pitcher to reach 200 starts — and it just so happened his outing May 5 against San Francisco was his 200th appearance.

The Phillies lost for the third time in four games, having dropped their first series in the last 15 over the weekend at Colorado.

Giants first baseman LaMonte Wade Jr. returned to the lineup only to get injured again. He sat out Sunday’s game at New York with a sore left hamstring he injured Friday against the Mets and only pinch hit Saturday, but exited in the fifth Monday after a hard slide into second on a double and strained the same hamstring.

He will undergo an MRI and is likely headed to the injured list, according to manager Bob Melvin.

“It doesn’t sound great,” Melvin said.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Phillies: SS Trea Turner, working back from a strained left hamstring, isn’t expected to miss much additional time despite dealing with soreness in his leg that pushed back his schedule for running the bases and beginning to take live batting practice that had been expected when the team returned home later this week, according to manager Rob Thomson.

Giants: OF Michael Conforto (right hamstring strain) is increasing his running in the next couple of days and could head out on a rehab assignment later in the week. … INF Nick Ahmed will begin taking batting practice in the coming days as he heals from a sprained left wrist. … RHP Keaton Winn (strained forearm) threw a bullpen. … RHP Austin Warren (Tommy John surgery) is set to throw live batting practice for the first time Tuesday in Arizona.

UP NEXT

RHP Zack Wheeler (6-3, 2.53 ERA) pitches for the Phillies on Tuesday night. The Giants were still undecided on their starter.

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