Brandon Crawford's splash hit in the 10th saved the day in San Francisco and the Giants get a much-needed series win. Some of the luster of Tim Hudson's excellent start came off after three late extra-base hits enabled the Rockies to tie the ballgame in the 8th, but he once again pitched with brisk, efficient command and gave the club a chance to win. The Giants wasted a fine effort yesterday and you hate to see them lose those low-scoring affairs at home. AT&T should be death on visiting clubs but the 2013 team only managed a 42-40 record in the supposedly-friendly confines. The 2014 team has so far split the six games and two series at home after a 5-2 road trip. The Dodgers come to town on Tuesday and it should be quite the donnybrook as the good guys took two of three in Los Angeles.
Gregor Blanco almost pulled off a dramatic two-out winner in the bottom of the 9th, roping a sure double to right-center that Michael Cuddyer fell down trying to field making it an easy stand-up triple. Tim Flannery, though, up to his usual knee-jerk windmilling, sent El Tiburón home when Cuddyer bobbled the pick-up. Unfortunately the throw hit cutoff man DJ LeMahieu right in the numbers and he fired a strong relay to Giants nemesis Wilin Rosario at the plate who made a good play to tag out the airborne speedster. Sergio Romo put up a zero in the top of the 10th and B-Craw made it all moot with his leadoff bomb in the bottom half. That's only his second walk-off hit and his first walk-off homer. There was lots of talk this spring about Crawford hitting lefties and so far he's silenced it with some excellent work in the early going.
Hudson has gone 23 innings without issuing a free pass and that's the most to open a season since Atlee Hammaker in 1983 (21 IP).
GO GIANTS!
--M.C.
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