Thursday, April 30, 2009

Giants coast behind Lincecum


Molina singles, triples, homers; Renteria notches four hits

Chris Haft
MLB.com

During Thursday's scheduled off-day, their last of four in April, the Giants can heave a contented sigh.

Their 9-4 victory Wednesday night over the Dodgers enabled them to finish the season's opening month 10-10 -- a mediocre record at face value, but nevertheless satisfying given their 2-7 start.

"It's important to be resilient in this game," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. "... To be at .500 now is good for the ballclub and shows a lot of character."

The Giants had enough gumption to recover from the three-game sweep the Dodgers handed them April 13-16 by winning two of three games in this series. Overall, San Francisco has won seven of its last nine games.

A series-ending triumph for the Giants might have been nothing less than the partisan paid crowd of 37,717 expected, given Tim Lincecum's presence. Lincecum indeed delivered, blanking Los Angeles on three hits for seven innings before faltering in the eighth and being charged with three runs. But the National League's reigning Cy Young Award winner tried to downplay the expectations.

"I'm trying to completely erase that from my mind," said Lincecum (2-1). "I'm not worried about that at all. I'm not trying to be the Cy Young winner [who's] trying to shut down L.A. I'm trying to be myself, not trying to do too much."

Asked if Giants players share such expectations of Lincecum, closer Brian Wilson politely said, "That's just a little bit too much." But, Wilson added, "knowing that he's probably going to win? Yeah. The confidence that Tim Lincecum is taking the mound and we have a great chance to win this game? Yeah, we all think that. It allows the offense to play a little easier and they're more relaxed."

Lincecum indeed delivered, maintaining his recent surge. In his last three starts, the right-hander has allowed four runs and 16 hits in 23 innings (ERA: 1.57) while walking four and striking out 33.

And, as Wilson mentioned, the offense freely produced by amassing a season-high 15 hits.

Bengie Molina lacked only a double to hit for the cycle, going 3-for-5 and driving in four runs. He followed one-out, first-inning singles by Edgar Renteria and Pablo Sandoval with his first triple since May 23, 2007, a drive that caromed off the left-center-field wall and eluded Los Angeles' Juan Pierre.

Despite his absence of speed, Molina was thinking triple.

"I saw the ball hit the wall and get away from [Pierre] and I said, 'This is my only chance of the year. Go for it.'"

Molina added a leadoff homer in the seventh, prompting dreams of the cycle.

"But I knew I was going to have only one more at-bat," he said. He made the most of that plate appearance, rapping a ninth-inning RBI single.

Renteria went 4-for-5 with a pair of two-out, run-scoring hits -- a single in the second inning and a double in the sixth. The 33-year-old shortstop has reached base safely in his last 11 games to hike his batting average from .138 to .275.

"He has really picked it up. That's what you want your veterans to do," Bochy said. "Especially when you're sputtering a little bit, you hope that somebody ignites them and keeps the line moving."

Or, in the case of the Giants' starting pitchers, hold the line. Lincecum's effort improved the Giants to 8-3 when they receive a quality start (an outing of at least six innings in which a pitcher yields three or fewer earned runs).

The outset of Lincecum's effort was unlike most others. He needed only five pitches to complete a perfect first inning, though each out was a hard-hit ball that required deft fielding plays.

"I felt like I had good stuff and guys just put good contact on balls," Lincecum said. "Whether they get spread out over nine innings or three outs in a row, that's going to happen."

Then Lincecum opened the second inning by striking out Andre Ethier, who entered the game hitting .353 this season against San Francisco. From the Giants' perspective, equilibrium was restored.

Lincecum's growing momentum energized the fans, which he noticed.

"They're really feeling the game," he said. "You hear the roar of the crowd every other inning or so. You can tell they want it and we want it."

The Giants have five more months to prove how badly they want it.

From: MLB.com

LAD
LA Dodgers (14-8)
Lost 1
San Francisco 9, LA Dodgers 4 SF
San Francisco (10-10)
Won 1
April 29, 2009
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
LA Dodgers
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 1 4 9 0
San Francisco
2 1 2 0 0 1 1 2 X 9 15 0
Standings thru 4/29/09 | Recap: LAD | SF | Wrap | Gameday


LA DodgersABRHRBIBBSOLOBAVG
Furcal, SS4110111.241
Hudson, 2B5021012.330
Ramirez, M, LF4110102.360
Ethier, RF4000025.296
Loney, 1B2000202.316
Martin, C3000011.216
Ausmus, C1011000.462
Blake, 3B4000023.229
Stults, P1000010.000
Troncoso, P0000000.000
a-DeWitt, PH1010000.176
Kuo, P0000000.000
Elbert, P1000000.333
Mota, P0000000.000
b-Loretta, PH1110000.444
Pierre, CF4121002.400
Totals354934818

a-Singled for Troncoso in the 5th. b-Doubled for Mota in the 9th.

BATTING
2B: Hudson (6, Lincecum), Loretta (1, Wilson), Pierre (1, Wilson).
TB: Furcal; Hudson 3; Ramirez, M; Ausmus; DeWitt; Loretta 2; Pierre 3.
RBI: Hudson (10), Ausmus (3), Pierre (2).
2-out RBI: Ausmus.
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Pierre; Loney; Blake; Ramirez, M.
GIDP: Ethier.
Team RISP: 3-for-11.
Team LOB: 8.

San FranciscoABRHRBIBBSOLOBAVG
Lewis, LF4100111.299
Renteria, SS5242000.275
Sandoval, P, 3B2110001.307
Uribe, 3B3120011.280
Molina, B, C5134001.329
Rowand, CF4110011.283
Aurilia, 1B4001103.167
Schierholtz, RF4121112.389
Burriss, 2B4121113.182
Lincecum, P3000033.167
Affeldt, P00000001.000
Wilson, P0000000.000
Totals3891594816

BATTING
2B: Schierholtz (3, Stults), Uribe (3, Troncoso), Renteria (5, Elbert).
3B: Molina, B (1, Stults).
HR: Molina, B (4, 7th inning off Elbert, 0 on, 0 out).
TB: Renteria 5; Sandoval, P; Uribe 3; Molina, B 8; Rowand; Schierholtz 3; Burriss 2.
RBI: Molina, B 4 (18), Renteria 2 (11), Schierholtz (1), Burriss (4), Aurilia (4).
2-out RBI: Renteria 2; Schierholtz; Burriss.
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Schierholtz; Molina, B; Uribe; Lincecum; Burriss 2.
S: Lincecum.
Team RISP: 5-for-14.
Team LOB: 11.

BASERUNNING
SB: Rowand (1, 2nd base off Stults/Martin).

FIELDING
DP: (Uribe-Aurilia).

LA DodgersIPHRERBBSOHRERA
Stults (L, 2-1)2.27552105.50
Troncoso 1.11000101.38
Kuo 1.00000106.75
Elbert 2.14221417.11
Mota 0.23221107.71
San FranciscoIPHRERBBSOHRERA
Lincecum (W, 2-1)7.06333803.16
Affeldt 0.21001002.79
Wilson (S, 5)1.12110004.09

Lincecum pitched to 4 batters in the 8th.

WP: Mota.
IBB: Schierholtz (by Mota).
HBP: Rowand (by Mota).
Pitches-strikes: Stults 67-38, Troncoso 16-12, Kuo 9-5, Elbert 44-31, Mota 26-16, Lincecum 103-65, Affeldt 11-6, Wilson 22-14.
Groundouts-flyouts: Stults 4-3, Troncoso 1-2, Kuo 1-1, Elbert 1-2, Mota 1-0, Lincecum 6-7, Affeldt 2-0, Wilson 3-1.
Batters faced: Stults 17, Troncoso 5, Kuo 3, Elbert 12, Mota 7, Lincecum 30, Affeldt 3, Wilson 6.
Inherited runners-scored: Troncoso 1-0, Affeldt 3-2, Wilson 2-0.
Umpires: HP: Tim McClelland. 1B: Ted Barrett. 2B: Greg Gibson. 3B: Andy Fletcher.
Weather: 57 degrees, partly cloudy.
Wind: 18 mph, Out to CF.
T: 2:58.
Att: 37,717.
April 29, 2009

Box score official statistics approved by Major League Baseball Office of the Commissioner



Wednesday, April 29, 2009

L.A. walks away with a win

Henry Schulman
SFGate/San Francisco Chronicle

Maybe someday the Giants can be that team that commits two killer errors, walks nine hitters, runs the bases poorly yet still wins. They are not there yet.

Yes, the Giants can take some solace in playing that type of game and still having a late chance to win. Bottom line, though, they wasted a good opportunity to steal a victory against the Dodgers and their ace, Chad Billingsley, and fell 5-3 at China Basin on Tuesday night.

"It wasn't a pretty game. We know it," manager Bruce Bochy said. "We made a few mistakes but we hung in there. We had our chances."

True, but the Dodgers had Manny Ramirez, who finally found a way to hurt the Giants this season. With the game knotted 3-3 in the ninth, Ramirez hit his third consecutive double, against Bobby Howry, and scored the go-ahead run on a one-out Andre Ethier double. Matt Kemp sealed it with an RBI triple.

You figured Ramirez was due against the Giants, but Howry does not believe in the law of averages.

"I believe you make bad pitches, and he's too good a hitter to miss them," Howry said. "You make good pitches, and you've got a chance to get him out."

Ramirez was thrilled with the way he launched a pair of scoring rallies, saying, "I'm a doubles maniac. I set the table now."

This game featured a lot of late intrigue, the Dodgers taking a 3-2 lead in the seventh on Brandon Medders' bases-loaded walk to James Loney and the Giants retying it in the eighth on Jonathan Broxton's bases-loaded walk to Rich Aurilia.

But the real story was penned much earlier, when the Giants gave away two runs after errors by Fred Lewis (dropped flyball) and Juan Uribe (bad throw). Both of the runs Jonathan Sanchez allowed in five innings were unearned.

Also, the Giants failed to deliver potential knockout blows against Billingsley in the second and third innings. Uribe grounded into a double play to kill one rally and grounded out with the bases loaded to end another.

Furthermore, Randy Winn was thrown out at the plate in the first inning on two great relays following Pablo Sandoval's double to the center-field wall. Later, third-base coach Tim Flannery held Travis Ishikawa at third as he chugged around from first on a similar double by Uribe. Emmanuel Burriss then lined into an inning-ending double play.

"We had our chances, but we were facing a good pitcher," Bochy said. "He's not 4-0 for nothing. The defense and the situational hitting, that has to be a big part of our game. We didn't execute tonight."

There was one tactical decision worth mentioning.

Brian Wilson ordinarily would have started the ninth inning of a 3-3 game at home, but he was off-limits because he had thrown more than 60 pitches over the three previous games. Bochy had a choice Tuesday between Howry and Jeremy Affeldt, and went with Howry. The right-hander has produced some good innings, but overall, Affeldt has pitched better.

With right-handers Ramirez and Russell Martin starting the ninth, Bochy went with Howry.

"Really," Bochy explained, "we felt like Howry could give us a little more. Affeldt has been throwing a lot lately. Those are our two guys. I've been going with matchups with both of them. You've got two righties coming up. I have confidence in both of them. I was hoping to get two (innings out of Howry)."

The Dodgers needed only one to beat the Giants. With a win tonight behind Tim Lincecum, the Giants can take the series and complete a .500 April, not bad given how awfully they started.

From: MLB.com

LAD
LA Dodgers (14-7)
Won 1
LA Dodgers 5, San Francisco 3 SF
San Francisco (9-10)
Lost 1
April 28, 2009
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
LA Dodgers
0 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 2 5 9 1
San Francisco
0 0 2 0 0 0 0 1 0 3 8 2
Standings thru 4/28/09 | Recap: LAD | SF | Wrap | Gameday


LA DodgersABRHRBIBBSOLOBAVG
Furcal, SS4000120.241
Hudson, 2B5000013.326
Ramirez, M, LF3230200.366
Martin, C4000124.225
Ethier, RF4321102.312
Kemp, CF4021102.316
Loney, 1B2012300.324
Blake, 3B5010017.242
Billingsley, P3000032.111
Broxton, P0000000.000
a-Loretta, PH1000002.412
Ohman, P00000001.000
Totals355949922

a-Grounded out for Broxton in the 9th.

BATTING
2B: Ramirez, M 3 (6, Sanchez, Medders, Howry), Ethier (6, Howry).
3B: Kemp (3, Howry).
TB: Ramirez, M 6; Ethier 3; Kemp 4; Loney; Blake.
RBI: Loney 2 (16), Ethier (21), Kemp (15).
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Billingsley; Ethier; Hudson 2; Loretta.
S: Billingsley.
GIDP: Blake.
Team RISP: 4-for-16.
Team LOB: 13.

BASERUNNING
CS: Kemp (1, 2nd base by Miller, Ju/Molina, B).

FIELDING
E: Furcal (4, throw).
Outfield assists: Kemp (Winn at home).
DP: 3 (Hudson-Furcal-Loney, Loney-Blake, Martin-Furcal).

San FranciscoABRHRBIBBSOLOBAVG
Lewis, LF4100031.317
Winn, RF4110120.221
Sandoval, P, 3B5021000.301
Molina, B, C4000014.310
Rowand, CF2110200.286
Ishikawa, 1B2021100.224
Uribe, SS4010008.227
Burriss, 2B3000023.161
b-Aurilia, PH0001100.200
Howry, P0000000.000
Sanchez, P2000010.000
Miller, Ju, P0000000.000
Medders, P0000000.000
a-Schierholtz, PH1010000.357
Matos, O, P0000000.000
c-Velez, PH-2B1000013.143
Totals3238351019

a-Singled for Medders in the 7th. b-Walked for Burriss in the 8th. c-Struck out for Matos, O in the 8th.

BATTING
2B: Sandoval, P (5, Billingsley), Uribe (2, Billingsley).
TB: Winn; Sandoval, P 3; Rowand; Ishikawa 2; Uribe 2; Schierholtz.
RBI: Sandoval, P (6), Ishikawa (8), Aurilia (3).
2-out RBI: Ishikawa; Aurilia.
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Molina, B; Burriss; Uribe 2; Velez 2.
GIDP: Uribe.
Team RISP: 1-for-10.
Team LOB: 9.

BASERUNNING
CS: Schierholtz (1, 2nd base by Billingsley/Martin).

FIELDING
E: Lewis (2, fielding), Uribe (1, throw).
DP: (Medders-Molina, B-Ishikawa).

LA DodgersIPHRERBBSOHRERA
Billingsley 7.18323802.14
Broxton (BS, 1)(W, 2-0)0.20002100.90
Ohman (S, 1)1.00000102.35
San FranciscoIPHRERBBSOHRERA
Sanchez 5.03203502.60
Miller, Ju 0.21003002.84
Medders 1.12112003.38
Matos, O 1.00000200.00
Howry (L, 0-2)1.03221204.32

WP: Billingsley, Sanchez 2, Howry.
IBB: Rowand (by Billingsley), Ethier (by Medders), Loney (by Howry).
HBP: Lewis (by Billingsley), Ishikawa (by Billingsley).
Pitches-strikes: Billingsley 109-66, Broxton 22-11, Ohman 9-6, Sanchez 96-57, Miller, Ju 19-8, Medders 30-15, Matos, O 13-8, Howry 32-20.
Groundouts-flyouts: Billingsley 7-4, Broxton 1-0, Ohman 0-2, Sanchez 6-4, Miller, Ju 1-0, Medders 2-2, Matos, O 0-1, Howry 1-0.
Batters faced: Billingsley 32, Broxton 4, Ohman 3, Sanchez 23, Miller, Ju 5, Medders 7, Matos, O 3, Howry 7.
Inherited runners-scored: Broxton 2-1, Medders 2-0.
Umpires: HP: Andy Fletcher. 1B: Tim McClelland. 2B: Ted Barrett. 3B: Greg Gibson.
Weather: 56 degrees, clear.
Wind: 17 mph, Out to CF.
T: 3:31.
Att: 30,482.
April 28, 2009

Box score official statistics approved by Major League Baseball Office of the Commissioner

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Giants rally in 8th, defeat Dodgers 5-4


Andrew Baggarly
Mercury News

Don't tell Barry Bonds there's no steam left in the rivalry with the Dodgers.

Don't tell these post-Bonds-era Giants, either.

Fresh off a meeting with the Dalai Lama — relax, we'll explain that one in a jiffy — the all-time home run king attended a most enlightening 5-4 victory over the Dodgers at AT&T Park.

Bonds, 44, again refused to rubber-stamp his retirement. But the Giants made the strongest statement on a chilly Monday night against the division-leading Dodgers, scoring twice in the eighth inning to avenge an embarrassing three-game sweep in Los Angeles two weeks ago.

Rich Aurilia and Bengie Molina hit infield tappers that scored the tying and go-ahead runs against right-hander Ronald Belisario, an inspired comeback after the Dodgers had just scored four runs to wrest the lead in the seventh.

Barry Zito had his own brand of Zen for most of the evening, running his home scoreless streak to 14 innings — his longest in three seasons as a Giant — before giving up a two-run home run to Casey Blake in the seventh. The Dodgers scored the tying and go-ahead runs on Merkin Valdez's watch, but the right-hander tossed a scoreless eighth to receive the victory.

Brian Wilson, who blew a three-run save opportunity a day earlier in Arizona, got emphatic redemption when he struck out the side in the ninth.

"I feed on positivity," said Wilson, who didn't blow consecutive save opportunities once last season. "It's an emotional game. Once we got the lead, you could feel what was happening out there. I tried to take that inside me and be one with the fans."

Said Zito: "Having Barry here and playing the Dodgers for the first time here, the fans were fired up. They've got a great team "... so for us to make a statement at our place was big. 'Hey, you got the best of us down there, but we plan to be tough at home this year.' And that's what we've been doing."

The Giants improved to 7-2 at AT&T Park, including four come-from-behind victories.

In a brief session with reporters just before the first pitch, Bonds said he is working out "a little bit" but squinted into a camera bulb and said he "didn't want to be in the spotlight again."

"I just haven't retired. That's the only status I have," said Bonds, adding he talks with agent Jeff Borris only about where they'll do lunch. "The only interest I have is to go to my seats and watch the Giants beat the Dodgers."

No interest in getting back to the field?

"I am," Bonds said, laughing. "I'm going right over here to section whatever and I'll be sitting in my seats."

Bonds sat between managing partner Bill Neukom and president Larry Baer for four innings, then spent some time in the television and radio booths. Perhaps they discussed if or when Bonds' 10-year personal services contract with the team will begin.

Will Bonds make frequent appearances at AT&T Park?

"As often as Larry (Baer) and them want me to come back," Bonds said.

Bonds was in the Bay Area as a personal guest of Christopher Laub, a young boy who befriended Bonds several years ago while fighting cancer. Laub received an "Unsung Heroes of Compassion" award from the Dalai Lama on Sunday in Marin County.

Zito finally seems to have found harmony at AT&T Park, using its spacious dimensions to his advantage while recording seven flyouts to the right side.

The Giants handed him a three-run lead in the first inning and he held a threatening lineup scoreless through the sixth.

Zito, whose record remained at 0-2, admitted to fatigue in the seventh.

There was one casualty in the victory: Outfielder Andres Torres strained a hamstring while running the bases in the eighth inning. He's likely to go on the disabled list today.

From: MLB.com

LAD
LA Dodgers (13-7)
Lost 2
San Francisco 5, LA Dodgers 4 SF
San Francisco (9-9)
Won 1
April 27, 2009
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
LA Dodgers
0 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 0 4 7 0
San Francisco
3 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 X 5 8 1
Standings thru 4/27/09 | Recap: LAD | SF | Wrap | Gameday


LA DodgersABRHRBIBBSOLOBAVG
Furcal, SS3100210.253
Hudson, 2B4011012.346
Ramirez, M, LF4021000.338
Kemp, CF3000113.306
Ethier, RF3000002.301
Martin, C4010000.239
Loretta, 1B3100103.438
Loney, 1B0000000.319
Blake, 3B4122010.246
Wolf, P1000000.091
a-Pierre, PH1110000.375
Belisario, P0000000.000
b-DeWitt, PH1000010.125
Totals314744510

a-Singled for Wolf in the 7th. b-Struck out for Belisario in the 9th.

BATTING
HR: Blake (5, 7th inning off Zito, 1 on, 1 out).
TB: Hudson; Ramirez, M 2; Martin; Blake 5; Pierre.
RBI: Blake 2 (14), Hudson (9), Ramirez, M (14).
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Hudson 2; Loretta.
S: Wolf.
GIDP: Ethier; Kemp; Loretta.
Team RISP: 3-for-6.
Team LOB: 6.

San FranciscoABRHRBIBBSOLOBAVG
Lewis, LF4110030.339
Renteria, SS4220000.234
Winn, RF-CF4111012.219
Aurilia, 1B4011002.200
Rowand, CF3111001.278
Valdez, M, P0000000.000
a-Molina, B, PH-C1001001.328
Sandoval, P, C3011100.294
Wilson, P0000000.000
Uribe, 3B4010013.222
Burriss, 2B3000011.169
Zito, P2000011.167
Torres, CF1000000.222
Schierholtz, RF0000000.308
Totals335851711

a-Grounded out for Valdez, M in the 8th.

BATTING
2B: Renteria (4, Wolf), Rowand (4, Wolf).
3B: Winn (2, Wolf).
TB: Lewis; Renteria 3; Winn 3; Aurilia; Rowand 2; Sandoval, P; Uribe.
RBI: Winn (7), Rowand (9), Sandoval, P (5), Aurilia (2), Molina, B (14).
2-out RBI: Rowand; Sandoval, P.
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Uribe 3; Zito.
Team RISP: 3-for-10.
Team LOB: 5.

BASERUNNING
SB: Sandoval, P (1, 2nd base off Belisario/Martin).

FIELDING
E: Renteria (2, fielding).
DP: 3 (Renteria-Burriss-Aurilia, Burriss-Renteria-Aurilia 2).

LA DodgersIPHRERBBSOHRERA
Wolf 6.06330404.31
Belisario (BS, 3)(L, 0-2)2.02221303.68
San FranciscoIPHRERBBSOHRERA
Zito 6.15333215.24
Valdez, M (BS, 1)(W, 1-0)1.22111005.40
Wilson (S, 4)1.00000303.72

WP: Belisario, Zito.
Balk: Zito.
IBB: Sandoval, P (by Belisario).
HBP: Ethier (by Zito).
Pitches-strikes: Wolf 83-63, Belisario 51-32, Zito 109-65, Valdez, M 31-18, Wilson 16-9.
Groundouts-flyouts: Wolf 7-7, Belisario 2-1, Zito 9-8, Valdez, M 5-0, Wilson 0-0.
Batters faced: Wolf 24, Belisario 10, Zito 27, Valdez, M 7, Wilson 3.
Inherited runners-scored: Valdez, M 1-1.
Umpires: HP: Greg Gibson. 1B: Andy Fletcher. 2B: Tim McClelland. 3B: Ted Barrett.
Weather: 52 degrees, partly cloudy.
Wind: 20 mph, Out to CF.
T: 2:42.
Att: 30,091.
April 27, 2009

Box score official statistics approved by Major League Baseball Office of the Commissioner

Monday, April 27, 2009

Victory, sweep get away from Giants

Rough day for offense, Wilson in finale in Phoenix

Tom Singer
MLB.com
Three-run lead. Three outs from a six-game winning streak. The Giants on the verge of going from hot to scalding. The ball in Brian Wilson's hand.

"You'd think we've got the game in the bag," said Wilson.

But it turned out to be a sandbag. And after the Diamondbacks sandbagged his Giants for a 5-4 win in 12 innings, manager Bruce Bochy could only rue falling victim to breaking one of the Ten Commandments.

"Winning two out of three is not bad. But after taking the first two, you get greedy," Bochy said.

On their way to opening a series against the rival and National League West-leading Dodgers on a high, Wilson and the Giants were struck by ninth-inning lightning. The loudest crackle came on Justin Upton's game-tying two-run homer, a laser shot with barely enough height to clear the wall in straightaway left.

Three innings later, Conor Jackson delivered a one-out, bases-loaded single over a drawn-in outfield for the winner.

But the Giants had been dangling on the cliff's edge since the ninth.

"Certainly, it's disappointing," said Wilson, who'd been flawless in his previous three save chances this season. "I just wasn't able to locate my pitches. I couldn't get the fastball in the zone, and the slider kept drifting outside."

"He was just off," said Bochy. "We were in the situation we'd hoped for, but he just had an off day."

In addition to the winning streak, Wilson spoiled banner days by starting pitcher Matt Cain and third baseman Pablo Sandoval.

Cain pitched four-hit ball for seven innings, and appeared rewarded when Sandoval capped a four-hit game with a three-run homer in the eighth for a 4-1 lead. While holding Arizona to Mark Reynolds' second-inning homer, Cain walked four and struck out five and lowered his ERA from 2.37 to 2.08.

"Cain did a great job," Bochy said. "I thought we were going to win it for him, but then they stole it."

Former Arizona reliever Brandon Medders (0-1), in his third inning of work, walked Miguel Montero to start the 12th. Chris Young sacrificed Montero to second, and Felipe Lopez was walked intentionally before Augie Ojeda drew another walk to load the bases. That brought up Jackson and brought in Justin Miller, who served up Jackson's full-count hit.

Sandoval -- batting with one RBI in his first 64 at-bats of the season -- launched a 2-and-2 offering from right-hander Jon Garland high and deep into the right-field corner for his first homer of the year and first career four-hit game.

The majestic drive energized the Giants' dugout.

"It was great," Sandoval said, "but then we lost. We're out there fighting for wins."

This time the Giants spent more time fighting themselves, making the least out of a season-high 14 hits and going 2-for-15 with men in scoring position.

"We had a lot of missed opportunities," said Bochy, adding that his team's "situational hitting was off today," as was Wilson.

"Then we got the hit we were looking for all day [Sandoval's homer], and just couldn't hold it."

One of the ironies of Arizona's ninth-inning uprising was that it was only the third multiple-run frame in 71 innings off the Giants' frugal pitchers.

Nate Schierholtz, the only San Francisco position player who had not previously drawn a start, got the nod in right field on Sunday; the pinch-hit specialist went 1-for-5, the hit being a leadoff double in the seventh to set up one of the many scoring opportunities the Giants squandered.

Schierholtz had replaced Fred Lewis in the starting lineup, but even hours before Lewis' clutch pinch-hit double triggered the Giants' three-run eighth, Bochy said that the move had nothing to do with the condition of his regular left fielder's left wrist.

Lewis, who'd rolled over the wrist earlier in the season, appeared to slightly do so again on Saturday night making a diving catch of Chris Snyder's sinking liner in the second. Coincidentally, Lewis left Saturday night's game as part of a sixth-inning double-switch, and was replaced by Schierholtz.

"He's got some general soreness," Bochy said of Lewis. "He can just use a day [off]."

As for Wilson and the offense's timely hitting, their off days were not helpful.

"We won the series, but the streak is over," said Wilson. "We'll just have to start a new one now."

From: MLB.com

SF
San Francisco (8-9)
Lost 1
Arizona 5, San Francisco 4 ARI
Arizona (7-11)
Won 1
April 26, 2009
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 R H E
San Francisco
0 0 0 1 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 4 14 0
Arizona
0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 1 5 9 0
Standings thru 4/26/09 | Recap: SF | ARI | Wrap | Gameday


San FranciscoABRHRBIBBSOLOBAVG
Winn, LF6010024.217
Renteria, SS5100114.217
Sandoval, P, 3B4243000.292
Affeldt, P00000001.000
Howry, P0000000.000
Wilson, P0000000.000
b-Velez, PH-CF2000001.154
Miller, Ju, P0000000.000
Molina, B, C5020002.333
Rowand, CF5021011.275
Medders, P0000000.000
Torres, CF0000000.250
Schierholtz, RF5010014.308
Ishikawa, 1B5000025.191
Burriss, 2B5020010.179
Cain, P1000100.000
a-Lewis, PH1110000.345
Uribe, 3B2010001.214
Totals4641442822

a-Doubled for Cain in the 8th. b-Grounded out for Wilson in the 10th.

BATTING
2B: Sandoval, P (4, Garland), Schierholtz (2, Garland), Lewis (5, Garland), Winn (4, Vasquez), Uribe (1, Gutierrez, J).
HR: Sandoval, P (1, 8th inning off Garland, 2 on, 1 out).
TB: Winn 2; Sandoval, P 8; Molina, B 2; Rowand 2; Schierholtz 2; Burriss 2; Lewis 2; Uribe 2.
RBI: Rowand (8), Sandoval, P 3 (4).
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Ishikawa 2; Renteria; Velez.
GIDP: Renteria; Rowand.
Team RISP: 2-for-15.
Team LOB: 8.

BASERUNNING
CS: Burriss (2, 2nd base by Vasquez/Montero).
PO: Burriss (1st base by Vasquez).

FIELDING
DP: (Sandoval, P-Ishikawa).

ArizonaABRHRBIBBSOLOBAVG
Lopez, F, 2B5000110.311
Ojeda, A, SS4000210.323
Jackson, LF6021020.207
Tracy, 1B5110002.255
Reynolds, 3B5122010.274
Byrnes, CF3100111.200
Qualls, P0000000.000
b-Clark, PH1010000.174
1-Wilson, Jo, PR0000000.000
Gutierrez, J, P0000000.000
Upton, RF3122211.222
Montero, C4010102.182
2-Roberts, PR0100000.286
Garland, P3000012.000
Pena, T, P0000000.000
Vasquez, P0000000.000
a-Young, PH-CF1000000.188
Totals40595788

a-Flied out for Vasquez in the 9th. b-Singled for Qualls in the 11th.
1-Ran for Clark in the 11th. 2-Ran for Montero in the 12th.

BATTING
2B: Tracy (6, Wilson).
HR: Reynolds (5, 2nd inning off Cain, 0 on, 1 out), Upton (2, 9th inning off Wilson, 1 on, 1 out).
TB: Jackson 2; Tracy 2; Reynolds 5; Clark; Upton 5; Montero.
RBI: Reynolds 2 (11), Upton 2 (5), Jackson (10).
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Tracy; Garland.
S: Young.
Team RISP: 2-for-4.
Team LOB: 9.

BASERUNNING
CS: Byrnes (1, 2nd base by Cain/Molina, B).

FIELDING
DP: 3 (Reynolds-Lopez, F-Tracy 2, Ojeda, A).
Pickoffs: Vasquez (Burriss at 1st base).

San FranciscoIPHRERBBSOHRERA
Cain 7.04114512.08
Affeldt (H, 4)0.20000003.00
Howry (H, 4)0.10000102.45
Wilson (BS, 1)1.03330014.15
Medders (L, 0-1)2.11113202.89
Miller, Ju 0.01000003.18
ArizonaIPHRERBBSOHRERA
Garland 7.110442215.47
Pena, T 0.21000201.93
Vasquez 1.02000000.00
Qualls 2.00000302.25
Gutierrez, J (W, 1-1)1.01000103.38

IBB: Lopez, F (by Medders).
Pitches-strikes: Cain 103-67, Affeldt 7-4, Howry 5-3, Wilson 32-19, Medders 42-21, Miller, Ju 6-3, Garland 108-69, Pena, T 12-9, Vasquez 12-9, Qualls 22-16, Gutierrez, J 10-8.
Groundouts-flyouts: Cain 6-8, Affeldt 1-1, Howry 0-0, Wilson 1-2, Medders 4-1, Miller, Ju 0-0, Garland 11-8, Pena, T 0-0, Vasquez 1-1, Qualls 3-0, Gutierrez, J 1-1.
Batters faced: Cain 27, Affeldt 2, Howry 1, Wilson 6, Medders 11, Miller, Ju 1, Garland 31, Pena, T 3, Vasquez 4, Qualls 6, Gutierrez, J 4.
Inherited runners-scored: Miller, Ju 3-1, Pena, T 1-0.
Umpires: HP: Tom Hallion. 1B: Chad Fairchild. 2B: Phil Cuzzi. 3B: Jerry Crawford.
Weather: 83 degrees, sunny.
Wind: 7 mph, In from LF.
T: 3:45.
Att: 31,862.
April 26, 2009

Box score official statistics approved by Major League Baseball Office of the Commissioner


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