ATLANTA - Weird stat of the day: 40.
That’s the number of quality starts for the Giants’ rotation. That’s the second-most in the majors behind the pitching-rich Nationals. That’s mighty peculiar.
Jeff Samardzija was the latest pitcher to add to the Giants’ total Wednesday night by yielding three runs in seven innings, but it came in the Giants’ 5-3 loss to the Braves, so what good was it?
Not very because the Giants’ offense did its usual thing. Three runs on seven hits. Hunter Pence’s home run, his second ninth-inning, deficit-overcoming homer on the trip, made it 3-3, giving the Giants hope for their first winning streak since May 27-28.