Giants in deep against Dodgers

Henry Schulman - San Francisco Chronicle (SFGate)

General manager Brian Sabean might need a ham radio to reach manager Bruce Bochy to discuss any last-minute trades this morning. Bochy plans to be on a trawler with special assistant Felipe Alou and bullpen catcher Bill Hayes, trolling for tuna off the Mexican coast.

If they catch one, Bochy said, "We'll sashimi it up and eat it right on the boat."

Sabean was at Dodger Stadium throughout a three-game series that ended Wednesday with the Giants blanked for the second straight night. Chad Billingsley pitched a five-hitter for a 4-0 victory and his first career shutout.

The game ended in the worst way possible for a team that had not scored in 222/3 innings. Jose Castillo was thrown out at home on Randy Winn's second hit, a single to left. That left Bengie Molina, the one guy capable of popping one and getting the Giants back into the game, standing on deck.

Third-base coach Tim Flannery waved Castillo around and blamed himself, confessing he thought too much about averting another shutout and not enough about winning.

"You play the game by the score," Flannery said. "Tonight, after 14 years, I became a fan instead of a third-base coach for one minute. It was flat-out ... stupid."

With the scoreless streak up to 23 innings, the Giants boarded buses for San Diego, where they begin a three-game series Friday night. All 25 players got on, as the Giants did nothing on Trade Deadline Eve.

Things appeared quiet ahead of today's 1 p.m. PDT deadline. Sabean's cell phone was not glued to his ear, although he still was working.

Paul Turco Sr., one of Sabean's most trusted scouts, was in Minnesota, sitting beside Twins executive Terry Ryan, the former general manager, watching Wednesday's game against the White Sox. That lent credence to a story first reported by ESPN's Jayson Stark that Minnesota, seeking a third baseman, was interested in Rich Aurilia. But a source said the Twins were just as likely looking at a reliever such as Jack Taschner.

Stark said the Twins were offering Boof Bonser, whom the Giants sent to Minnesota as part of the 2003 Joe Nathan trade.

One complicating factor for sending Aurilia to Minnesota is the Twins' interest in Seattle third baseman Adrian Beltre, whom the Giants like, too. A major-league source told The Chronicle that the Twins, Dodgers and Angels have been the most active pursuers of Beltre, whom the Mariners do not plan to part with cheaply.

When Aurilia was asked if he heard the latest rumor about him, he said, "Yeah, I'm going to the Seibu Lions."

Sabean and Dodgers GM Ned Colletti enjoyed a lengthy chat on the field before batting practice. They could have been bemoaning the price of gas. Then again, the Dodgers need a shortstop and the Giants have one available in Omar Vizquel, a notion that might have been discussed.

In Florida, Marlins' first baseman Mike Jacobs was lifted in the sixth inning, fanning speculation he would be part of a deal for Molina. Molina, however, played the entire game Wednesday and is not believed to be going anywhere.

Jonathan Sanchez, considered untouchable in trade talks, was anything but on the field this month. He allowed four runs in four innings Wednesday, finishing July at 0-3 with 20 runs allowed in 21 innings, an 8.57 ERA.

The Giants had a miserable month, as well, going 8-16, their worst July since they were 9-18 in 1995.

Sanchez is having major control issues. He walked Matt Kemp to start the first and third innings. Both times Kemp scored on a Russell Martin single, the second one part of a three-run third. Jeff Kent added a double and James Loney a sacrifice fly. Three of the four runners who scored reached base on walks.

In contrast, the Giants had to scratch for mere hits against Billingsley, the Dodgers' 23-year-old power pitcher. They did not get a baserunner until Molina lined the first pitch of the fifth inning into center field for a single. Aaron Rowand promptly hit into a double play.

The Giants also had a pair of singles by Winn, a single by Aurilia and Castillo's two-out, ninth-inning double. Castillo was the only Giant to reach second base in the team's ninth shutout defeat of 2008, their fourth in July.