Tony Vitello sounds off on a ninth-inning defensive collapse and a crumbling bullpen after the Kansas City Royals capitalized to sink the San Francisco Giants.
The San Francisco Giants are just 1-3 since coming back from the All-Star break. They've dropped each of their last three games and have scored exactly three runs in all three.
Now beginning a series against the Kansas City Royals, the Giants dropped game one, 4-3.
Caleb Kilian fell to 2-6 on the year as he allowed the Royals to walk it off in the bottom of the ninth.
No matter how great Willy Adames' home run was to tie things up in the top half, San Francisco's bullpen once again crumbled. Manager Tony Vitello wasn't pleased, as all it took was seven pitches for the Giants to waste what Adames gave them a few minutes prior.
Giants' ninth-inning disaster
Kilian came into the game and immediately gave up a single just two pitches into his outing. The Royals made sure they were aggressive, and they kept at it with a bunt attempt on the very next pitch.
For whatever reason, catcher Daniel Susac tried to get the lead runner at second instead of the sure out at first.
The Royals having a runner on second with one out doesn't sound nearly as bad as runners on first and second with no one out. Ultimately, that's the situation Susac put the Giants in.
"It appeared as though he was going for a glove flip. Obviously, a sense of urgency there. Might have been able to do it a different way," Vitello said, according to MLB.com.
Even with the Giants being down to their final out before Adames tied the game, Vitello said this loss doesn't sting more than any of their other ones this season.
"A loss is going to be the same way,” he said. “It doesn’t feel good. It doesn’t sound good. No matter how it goes down, you don’t like it.”
Giants fall to 42-58
When speaking of Adames' big blast in the ninth, Vitello knows the $182 million man has had his share of struggles this season, but he seems to finally be settling in.
"He has been tremendous since before the [All-Star] break,” Vitello added. “A lot of using the whole field and showing his strength. He has the ability to flick the ball out of the park and hit it from foul pole to foul pole.”
Overall, Vitello thought the Giants had the Royals right where they wanted them once San Francisco chased Michael Watcha. Despite Alex Lange blowing his second save of the year, he ended up getting his first win of 2026 thanks to Kilian's efforts in the ninth.
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