Andrew Baggarly - MercuryNews
The Giants moved one step further from the Barry Bonds era Monday, when Fred Lewis hit a home run at Chase Field. It was the first homer by a Giants left fielder since Bonds' 762nd and final longball last season.
But the Giants still don't have anything close to Bonds' imposing presence in the lineup, and they couldn't find the clutch hit they needed in a 4-2 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Lewis, who lined his solo shot in the third inning, killed a rally when he grounded into a double play in the seventh.
And Eugenio Velez committed a grave sin leading off the eighth when he was thrown out trying to stretch a double into a triple. Replays appeared to show Velez was safe, but third-base umpire Bob Davidson ruled otherwise and the Giants weren't able to bring the tying run to the plate.
"Just a young mistake," said Giants Manager Bruce Bochy, who no longer presides over a veteran-heavy roster built around Bonds.
The Giants had one last chance in the ninth after Jose Castillo hit a two-out single. But pinch hitter Rich Aurilia took a called breaking ball from closer Brandon Lyon and the Diamondbacks improved their major league-best record to 14-5.
The Giants were held to two runs or fewer for the 10th time in 20 games.
Aside from Velez, Giants pinch hitters are 0 for 28. Velez is 3 for 5 off the bench.
That's where Velez found himself last weekend in St. Louis, where Bochy opted for Ray Durham at second base. Bochy wanted to give Velez a mental break after the rookie began overthinking his approach at the plate.
Velez had plenty to contemplate after Monday's loss. He sat at his locker in full uniform for several minutes, his head cast downward.
"That situation, I have to stop at second base," Velez said. "I was safe before he tagged me, but if the umpire calls me out, that's out."
Bochy said "there was no stopping him. Everyone in the dugout was yelling, 'No, no!' He made up his mind he was going for it."
Bochy said he would wait until today to take aside Velez for a talk.
It wasn't all bad for Velez. He helped Kevin Correia out of a bases-loaded jam in the third when he made a knee-skidding stop to his left of Conor Jackson's drive, then delivered the ball quickly to shortstop Emmanuel Burriss.
Burriss, who was making his first career start, showed his athleticism by making a nice turn and throw.
Correia held a scary-hot lineup to three runs over six innings, but again had trouble keeping the ball in the yard. Eric Byrnes hit a two-run homer in the fifth inning to erase the Giants' one-run lead. Correia also gave up a solo shot to Mark Reynolds in the second inning.
"Seems like every run I've given up has been on a home run," Correia said.
Almost. Correia has allowed five homers in 25 2/3 innings, accounting for seven of the 12 runs against him.
Giants left fielders had not homered in 151 at-bats since Bonds connected on a 99 mph fastball from Colorado's Ubaldo Jimenez on Sept. 5 at Coors Field.
Technically, Lewis almost became the first Giant to hit a splash homer this year. He hit the first pitch from Micah Owings over the right-field fence where a fan deflected it in front of the swimming pool party section.
The Giants had more chances against Owings than they did a week ago at AT&T Park. But Bengie Molina couldn't score the tying run from first base on Aaron Rowand's two-out double in the sixth, and John Bowker lined out to strand two.
Burriss didn't get his first hit, but he made hard contact on the first pitch he saw, hitting a one-hopper to shortstop Stephen Drew that resulted in a fielder's choice. Burriss also was hit by a pitch and grounded out on a too-firm bunt attempt to the right side.
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