Giants’ reliever Reyes Moronta becoming a big bullpen key
Updated 5:07 pm, Wednesday, April 25, 2018
Fifteen thousand dollars.
That was the bonus pitcher Reyes Moronta got at 17 when the Giants signed him as an international free agent. Look at him now, one of the club's top relievers nearly a month into the season.
Moronta, 25, earned his first big-league win Tuesday night, has a 0.64 ERA, can pitch multiple innings and has an arsenal diverse enough to retire right-handed and left-handed hitters just the same.
He has allowed one hit to a left-hander in 19 at-bats. Righties are 3-for-25.
Moronta is not an overnight success. The Giants protected him with a valuable 40-man roster spot before the 2017 season. He reached the majors for seven games last year and struck out 11 in 6 2/3 innings. He was one of the last cuts out of spring training this year.
When Moronta pitched for the Triple-A team in an exhibition against the Giants on the way home from Arizona, team officials got one more reminder why Moronta needed to come up posthaste.
"The game he had against us in Sacramento was pretty impressive," Bochy said. "He's got no fear."
Moronta saved a 6-5 victory by allowing two singles then striking out Alen Hansen, Gorkys Hernandez and Chase D'Arnaud.
Moronta demonstrates the confidence that he can beat any hitter, but said after Tuesday's win, with Manolo Hernåndez Douen translating, "I wouldn't say I'm confident I can get everyone out, but the I have the pitches I need to do my job."
Paternity leave: Starter Chris Stratton was placed on the paternity list and was flying to Mississippi for the birth of his and wife Martha Kate's second child. However, Stratton is expected back in time to start the day half of Saturday's doubleheader against the Dodgers. Johnny Cueto will pitch the night game.
Roberto Gomez was recalled from Sacramento to replace Stratton and could be the 26th man the Giants will be allowed to add for the doubleheader. The Giants then would have to demote Gomez, or another player, on Sunday.
Twitter skipper: Bochy opened a Twitter account (@brucebochy1) Tuesday. Former third-base Tim Flannery, who is outspoken on Twitter on politics, baseball and everything else predicted Bochy would not last a month, but Bochy does not plan to be an active tweeter.
"If they tweet bad things I'm going to Tweet back, "Love harder," Bochy said, a reference to Flannery's anti-violence campaign.
Briefly: Brandon Crawford doubled in the second inning, his first extra-base hit since he tripled in San Diego on April 14. He is 2-for-30 since that triple. … Crawford and Nick Hundley hit consecutive doubles to score the first Giants run off Max Scherzer. Brandon Belt hit a triple and Pablo Sandoval a double for the second. … Bryce Harper had one hit in the series, a sixth-inning single against Josh Osich on Wednesday. The Giants walked him five times. … Osich has an 8.10 ERA and is getting hit hard by righties and lefties. He is in jeopardy of being optioned when the Giants activate Will Smith on Tuesday. … Cory Gearrin's ERA is up to 6.14. He got one out in relief of Osich on Wednesday after walking two hitters in a row, one with the bases loaded. …. … Ty Blach grounded out as a pinch-hitter to end the game.
Henry Schulman is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: hschulman@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @hankschulman