Wood rocked again as Giants dropped series opener to Twins originally appeared on NBC Sports Bayarea
Alex Wood admitted he got his butt kicked in his last start, and things didn’t get better a week later.
Wood was touched up for eight earned runs in three innings as the Giants lost 9-0 to the Minnesota Twins on Friday night at Target Field. The veteran lefty gave up six hits and hit two batters. He didn’t issue any walks and struck out four.
Over his last two starts, Wood has allowed 15 earned runs in 7 2/3 innings pitched. During that span, his ERA has spiked from 4.18 to an even 5.00.
Potential free agent Carlos Correa put the Giants in an early hole with a two-run homer off Wood in the bottom of the first inning.
Wood got through the second inning unscathed, but disaster struck in the third inning.
The first three Twins hitters all singled, loading the bases. Rookie Jose Miranda pushed Minnesota’s lead to 3-0 with a sacrifice fly. A few batters later, with the bases loaded again, Gilberto Celestino crushed a three-run double to right-center. Gary Sanchez followed with a two-run homer to cap the six-run inning.
The Giants were shut down by Bay Area native Joe Ryan, who limited them to two hits and three walks in six scoreless innings while striking out eight.
Things got so out of hand for the Giants that catcher Austin Wynns pitched the bottom of the eighth inning. After retiring the first two batters, he gave up a 373-foot homer to Kyle Garlick. Wynns fired the pitch in at 63 miles per hour.
The loss in the opener of the three-game series drops the Giants to 61-63 this season.
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Alex Cobb will try to get San Francisco back on track Saturday as he takes on Sonny Gray in the second game of the series.
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