Gritty Giants Gut It Out

I was thinking about Joaquin Arias tonight, about how he is a wonderful player, the perfect utility infielder and super-sub. I was thinking, though, that he really shouldn't be the starting first baseman. Now and again is OK, of course, but the team is better when Brandon Belt is in the lineup. All the world knows the young lefty's struggles since the start of the season, so who better to come to the plate in the 9th, against a southpaw no less, to get the game-winning hit? It would not have come to pass without a tremendous two-run homer in the 8th by Buster Posey to tie the score. His mother was probably an immortal goddess--how else to explain his perfection? It was a massive blow, as it looked like the home town boys were doomed at that point in the game. I thought "D-Back Dingers Vex Vogie" would be tonight's storyline, but Pablo Sandoval got a rally started with one out and Buster delivered the big blast to breathe life back into the orange-and-black heart. One must mention the dynamite relief work from Jean Machi (5 pitches, three outs), Jose Mijares (two strikeouts), and Sergio Romo (one pitch, one out) to put up the two scoreless innings that gave the team the chance to come back. Ryan Vogelsong labored through seven, looking like he had trouble hitting the outside corner. Either the zone was tight, he was a little off, or Arizona was laying off the close ones, but he seemed to get himself in trouble with long counts. Wade Miley, despite a rough 1st, was machine-like for a stretch, putting up a string of zeroes, and I thought perhaps Kirk Gibson had too quick of a hook in the 7th. They do have some scary-looking guys in that 'pen over there, and they probably figured David Hernandez would blow away the side in the 8th and they could use J.J. Putz to close it out. Alas, they did not calculate correctly. One must always account for the Posey Factor:

The Giants will not quit. The Giants will not die.

--M.C.



p.s. I love Game Graphs.