Cueto Shines in Debut, Giants Win Second Straight

Investing money is a risk because there’s no guarantee that it’s not going to pan out. There’s always the fear that the investment is not going to work out, and the money will go to waste.

The Giants invested $130,000,000 in Johnny Cueto this past offseason, hoping that he would shake off a subpar second half in Kansas City and return to his Cincinnati form. In his first regular season start for San Francisco, Cueto turned out a stellar performance, going seven innings while only allowing run and striking out four, leading the Giants to a 2-1 victory.

Cueto got off to a rocky start in the early frames. In the second inning, Milwaukee got runners at the corners with no outs. Cueto got Ramon Flores to ground into a double play, but Flores brought in Jonathan Lucroy home from third, giving the Brewers their first and only run of the game.

In the third, Cueto had to work his way out of two jams. Jonathan Villar doubled to start the inning and Milwaukee starter Jimmy Nelson bunted him over to third. With the Giants playing in, Brandon Crawford threw out Villar on a Domingo Santana grounder. Scooter Gennett singled to put runners at the corners, but Cueto struck out Braun to end the inning.

By the fourth inning, Cueto found a groove on the hill and left the game after seven quality innings with the Giants leading 2 to 1.

The Giants’ defense had its first taste of Cueto’s fast-paced on the mound. Cueto is known for working fast, and by the time he got the ball back in his glove, he was nearly ready to go for the next pitch. Pitchers who work quickly keep the defense on its toes and Cueto’s pace is going to make him a favorite of the San Francisco defense.

Brewers’ starter Jimmy Nelson dueled with Cueto, limiting the same Giant offense that erupted for twelve runs yesterday to only two runs. San Francisco’s offense was only able to scratch out runs against Nelson via Brandon Crawford’s first home run of the season in the third and a Matt Duffy bases-loaded fielder’s choice in the fourth, but it was all the Giants needed to get the win.

Following Cueto's departure, Sergio Romo pitched a scoreless eighth inning, and Santiago Casilla closed out the game in the ninth to get Cueto his first victory in a Giant uniform and give San Francisco their second win of the season.

Jeff Samardzija will make his San Francisco debut tomorrow as the Giants look to sweep Milwaukee and start the season 3-0.

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