Belt, Gausman lead Giants and Kapler over Phillies 2-0
PHILADELPHIA (AP) – Brandon Belt and Kevin Gausman ensured Gabe Kapler could raise a glass when returning to Philadelphia. Belt hit a two-run homer, Gausman niftily pitched out of trouble in six innings, and the San Francisco Giants beat the Phillies 2-0 Monday night. Kapler became the first manager in major league baseball history to start his career 200-200. Kapler, who was 161-163 as Philadelphia’s manager in 2018-19, was booed when he brought out the lineup card.
“I’m just focused on doing a good job with the San Francisco Giants,” Kapler said.
His coaches and a few players, including Gausman, came into his office and drank together to celebrate his 200th win. “Hopefully, it was a good win for him returning to Philly,” Gausman said.
Gausman (1-0) allowed six hits, walked four and struck out five. He lowered his ERA to 2.45.
“This was a battle for Gaus,” Kapler said. “This was one of the more impressive starts I’ve seen from him because he had to grind through the middle of that lineup a few times. They grind you down. They’re not easy outs. I thought Gausman was especially resilient in this outing. He was a fighter.” Matt Wisler tossed a perfect seventh, Camilo Doval worked the eighth, and Wandy Peralta finished the seven-hitter for his second save.
Phillies starter Chase Anderson (0-2) yielded two runs and five hits in four innings.
The Phillies were 0 for 8 with runners in scoring position – all against Gausman – and left 11 runners on base.
Anderson got the first two outs in the third before Evan Longoria ripped a double. Belt followed with a shot into the right-field seats to give the Giants a 2-0 lead.
A fan wearing a red Phillies cap ran down the aisle and leaped over the seats to retrieve the ball, only to land flat on his back and end up trending on Twitter.
The Phillies had runners on second and third with two outs in the third after consecutive singles by Rhys Hoskins and Bryce Harper, but Gausman froze J.T. Realmuto with a 3-2 splitter for a called third strike.
Gausman escaped a tougher jam in the fourth after Alec Bohm led off with a walk and Jean Segura hit his 200th career double. Gausman struck out Mickey Moniak and Nick Maton and retired pinch-hitter Brad Miller on a grounder to leave two runners in scoring position.
“I just got lucky with the guys coming up the plate, two young guys who were left-handed hitters, and I was just going to pitch to my strength,” Gausman said about facing Moniak and Maton.
Phillies manager Joe Girardi said a lack of familiarity with Gausman contributed to the offense’s struggles.
“We chased some pitches,” Girardi said. “We had several chances to get to him, and we didn’t do it.”
SHUTOUT BACKSTOP
Giants catcher Curt Casali has been behind the plate for four of the team’s shutouts, including a 1-0 win at Miami on Sunday. He’s the first Giants receiver to catch shutouts in four consecutive starts since Broadway Aleck Smith did so May 6-24, 1901, per the Elias Sports Bureau.
ROSTER MOVES
Giants: LHP Sam Selman was recalled from the alternate training site, and RHP Trevor Gott’s contract was selected. OF Steven Duggar and C Chadwick Tromp were optioned.
Phillies: Maton and LHPs Damon Jones and Cristopher Sanchez were recalled from the alternate site.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Giants: C Buster Posey wasn’t in the lineup for the second straight game because of a bruised left elbow. He was hit by a pitch from Sandy Alcantara on Saturday.
Phillies: LHP Jose Alvarado, LHP Matt Moore, and INF Ronald Torreyes went on the injury list due to COVID-19 protocols. First-base coach Paco Figueroa and assistant Bobby Meacham also entered COVID protocols, joining hitting coach Joe Dillon, third-base coach Dusty Wathan, and bullpen coach Dave Lundquist.
UP NEXT
RHP Logan Webb (0-1, 4.76 ERA) starts for the Giants on Tuesday night, and RHP Zack Wheeler (1-2, 3.00) goes for the Phillies.
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