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SAN FRANCISCO – When the San Francisco Giants won three World Series titles in the five-year span from 2010 to 2014, they did so with young pitchers who thrive at the right time. Without Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain and Madison Bumgarner, the Giants would not have reached such heights.
As they began their final playoff quest on a frosty Friday night near the San Francisco Bay Area, a fresh-faced right-hander tamed the Los Angeles Dodgers and indicated something similar could develop. 24-year-old Logan Webb dominated with an assortment of quickballs, changes and lead-inducing shots on the ground over seven and two-thirds of scoreless innings, giving the Giants a 4-0 win in Game 1 of this National League division series.
It may seem presumptuous to speak of Webb in terms reserved for Lincecum, Cain and Bumgarner. But the receiver who was behind the plaque for all three World Series titles later said he could see the parallels.
“It looked a bit like Lincecum against the Braves in 2010,” said Buster Posey, recalling the Divisional Series opener when Lincecum pitched a full game, a two-hit gem in a 1-0 win. against Atlanta.
At the time, Lincecum was 26, with nearly four full seasons on his resume.
Webb was in the majors for three seasons, but didn’t win the rotation until last year. Against the Dodgers, he became the youngest San Francisco pitcher to start a playoff game since Bumgarner in 2012 – and the second youngest Giant to start a Game 1 since the start of the 2012 National League Championship series. of Bumgarner at the age of 23.
“I’m so impressed with him,” said Kris Bryant, whose solo homerun in the seventh helped chase Dodgers starter Walker Buehler. “His first experience in the playoffs and he was right there pretending it was a game in the court. It was really fun to watch. Really funny.”
This feeling of something special developing has been gaining momentum over the past few months. Webb’s 2.40 ERA since May 11 is second-best in majors, among pitchers with at least 20 starts, behind Buehler (2.32). On Friday he eclipsed his Los Angeles counterpart, pulling out 10 and walking none.
Webb grew up in Rocklin, California, just across Sacramento, about 90 minutes from San Francisco. The Giants’ fourth-round pick in the 2014 draft, he grew up following the Oakland Athletics because that’s what his dad loved. He was also a huge fan of the NFL Raiders.
He returned from Tommy John surgery and said he was considered legally blind. He was diagnosed with severe astigmatism, which causes blurred vision, in the third or fourth grade when he had difficulty seeing the ball.
But as he blossomed this summer, it was hard to believe he had anything in his way. Webb, who went 11-3 with a 3.03 ERA in 27 games (26 starts), finished the season with 20 straight starts with no losing decision. It’s the longest such streak for the Giants since Jack Sanford in 1962.
“He has three elite fields, which is definitely a luxury on my side,” Posey said.
Webb allowed just two hits in the first five innings and got help from the impressive San Francisco defense, including a smooth double play late in the inning in the fourth when second baseman Tommy La Stella lined up Justin Turner’s ball on the floor in the middle and shoveled the ball from his glove to Brandon Crawford in the sack as La Stella’s momentum carried him to center field. The pitch didn’t come to a perfect spot, but Crawford managed to snatch the ball into the air and execute a quick throw that reached first base just in time.
Webb called the room “sick.” Kapler said he thought “it was one of the best games we’ve played all year.”
And with that, the Giants have the Dodgers on their heels.
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