It took 24 batters and 86 pitches for Matt Cain to get 18 outs. He gave up 4 hits, 3 runs, 2 walks, and 2 stolen bases to the first 15 Pirates. It was ugly--it seemed like he couldn't throw a strike or finish off a hitter. With a little pluck and and spot of luck our boy turned it around, though, and retired 10 in a row to keep it close. The Giants managed to tie it by that point behind another great night by Bengie Molina and two hits and two runs scored by leadoff man Aaron Rowand. Pablo Sandoval ran into an out at home in the 5th during the only sustained rally of the evening for the G-men. It looked like third base coach Tim Flannery caught a bit of Panda-mania and lost his head on the play as our young stud was out easily. But it was 3-3 going into the 7th, and you had to believe the Giants would win the battle of the bullpens. Jeremy Affeldt was unfortunately a mere mortal, giving up the go-ahead run in the 8th. An error by shortstop Edgar Renteria on a double-play chance was a key play. Brandon Medders had a meltdown in the 9th and the game was suddenly out of reach at 6-3. This is 2010 Giants, though, and improbablities and magical events can never be completely ruled out. A pinch-double by Olympic Nate to start the bottom of the 9th was followed by a blast to the RF seats by Eugenio Velez to make it 6-5. The last three outs, however, came in quick succession and Tuesday the 13th proved unlucky for the home squad.
Day game tomorrow with Jonathan Sanchez taking the mound at 12:45 Pacific.
--M.C.
p.s. Tom Haller had 320 RBI from 1961-1967 wearing the tools of ignorance for the Orange and Black. Dick Deitz ('66-'71) had 271. Bob Brenly ('81-'89) had 327! Bengie Molina (2007-present) has 263. These are total RBI, not just "RBI as catcher." That list goes Haller 312, Brenly 263, Dietz 257, Molina 250. Thanks to ESPNs Rob Neyer for the last set of numbers (the rest I got from B-R). Mike Krukow reported during Monday's broadcast that Bengie had become the all-time SF leader in RBI for a catcher. Note to Mike: stick to your goofball Krukovian-isms and leave the stats to the experts. "Grab some pine, meat!"
1 comment:
I had a bad feeling when they lifted Matt in the bottom of the 5 innings for a pinch hitter. However, my feeling proved nothing. Velez swung, hit a dribbler to score a run and even the game at 3 each, Matt could have bunted and accomplished that. Romo in relief did not validate my bad feeling. Mistakes by Flannery in sending Sandoval, Renteria to turn an inning ending double play into no outs (Affeldt got a loss but no earned runs) and Medders sealed the outcome. I don't know, maybe if Cain had been left in and pitched 7, Medders would have never come up. Cain was in a groove at that point. Pretty many mistakes plus some bad luck (runners on third with Cain up, twice) for a 6-5 outcome is not too bad, all in all. I think Schulman is reading stuff on the internet. In today's Chron, he writes about pitches per plate appearance!!! Plus, uses the term "small sample size." What's up with that? I think he has been spending too much time in someone's basement.
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