ATLANTA — The Giants were excited to have Anthony DeSclafani back on the mound Tuesday for the first time since the third week of April. By the end of their back-and-forth 12-10 win over the Braves, though, they had a new injury to worry about — and that excitement had to be somewhat subdued.
The win evened this four-game series and could be critical in the wild-card race, but DeSclafani’s return to the rotation was hardly what the Giants were hoping for: He reached his pitch limit by the end of the third inning after allowing six hits, a walk and two home runs — a three-run jack by Matt Olson and a two-run shot from Marcell Ozuna — that accounted for all five of his earned runs.
The bright spots included a seven-pitch first inning and a strikeout of Ronald Acuña Jr. in his final frame, one of three punchouts. DeSclafani’s velocity also ticked up from his first three starts when he was battling inflammation in his right ankle, which ultimately caused him to miss the past two months.
