Michael Conforto

Conforto avoids serious injury in Giants' loss to Pirates

The Giants lost Tuesday night, but they avoided a long-term issue after Michael Conforto took an awkward step as he reached the first base bag in the eighth inning. 

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SAN FRANCISCO -- The Giants lost Tuesday night, but they avoided a long-term issue after Michael Conforto took an awkward step as he reached the first base bag in the eighth inning. 

Conforto hit a grounder to short while leading off and had to duck under first baseman Connor Joe's tag attempt. He extended his leg to reach first and then shook it out as he jogged past the bag, and he came out of the game an inning later. After the 2-1 loss, manager Gabe Kapler said Conforto has a bruised left heel and will be checked again in the morning, but the Giants view him as day-to-day.

Given that they have a day game on Wednesday and an off day on Thursday, it wouldn't at all be a surprise to see him out of the lineup for the series finale. Conforto did come out when the Giants took the field defensively in the top of the ninth. Kapler had the option of using speedy outfielder Bryce Johnson to pinch-run for Conforto moments earlier, but he felt he was fine physically and the Giants thought his spot could come up again if they tied the game. 

"He felt like it was 90 percent and felt pretty good at that point and felt strong about staying in the game," Kapler said. "He ran down the first base line and felt good, and when he came out of the game he just felt like he was having a little bit more difficulty slowing down."

Conforto ended up becoming the fifth Giants leadoff hitter to reach base and get stranded. Mitch Haniger struck out and Blake Sabol and Casey Schmitt both flew out to center.

--- Sean Manaea has allowed just one earned run in four relief appearances since being pulled from the rotation. He looked sharp in four innings Tuesday and got four swinging strikes with a new slider. 

Manaea changed the grip a couple of days ago and called it a "kind of a sweepy guy." He was happy with the way he was able to control it.

He entered with two down in the first after opener John Brebbia gave up a solo homer. Kapler said he's happy with the adjustments Manaea has made and sees more confidence these days. Will that mean a return to the rotation?

"Everything will always be on the table for us," Kapler said. 

The fifth spot in the rotation will come up again on Monday at Coors Field. 

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--- Patrick Bailey was a standout in the fifth when he blocked the plate for the second out of the inning and then back-picked a runner to end the inning. But Bailey also watched the second -- and game-winning -- run score when he couldn't scoop a wild pitch by Manaea. The rookie was trying to back-pick at third and that appeared to throw him off just enough for the low pitch to skip away.

"We love the aggressiveness," Kapler said. "Over time, I think that's going to play in our favor."

The Giants seemingly spent all spring working on back-picks, a move they hope will help control running games now that the rules have changed in favor of base stealers. Even in the spring, Bailey seemed to be their best at it, and it appears that will be a significant part of his game in the big leagues. 

--- The loss was the first in City Connects this season. The Giants are now 21-7 all-time in the creamsicle jerseys. 

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