A show called Zito
John Shea
SFGate/San Francisco Chronicle
The "Bar-ry, Bar-ry" chants echoed with one out in the ninth inning, a cheer from yesteryear. But in the past, those chants came from Giants fans pulling for a home run into McCovey Cove, not a strikeout on a round-house curve.
The Giants' 2009 playoff chase, their first in realistic terms since 2004 - Barry Bonds' last MVP season - is being led by an altogether different Barry, this one pitching his best ball since coming aboard for $126 million, a contract that not even the prolific Bonds could get.
Barry Zito tossed eight shutout innings, gave up a one-out homer in the ninth to Brad Hawpe and jogged off the field to cheers from 41,200 fans who remained standing to request a curtain call, prompting Zito to re-emerge and wave in appreciation.
The Giants held off Colorado 5-3 Saturday night and could complete a sweep today, which would pull them into a wild-card tie for the first time since Aug. 9. The Rockies have lost four in a row and failed to score a run in the series until their three-run rally in the ninth.
The game ended when Brian Wilson threw a 99-mph fastball that Clint Barmes hit lazily to center to strand two runners. Zito earned the win and lowered his ERA in nine starts since the All-Star break to 1.93. Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain are All-Stars, but neither has been as consistent as Zito in the second half, and fans appreciate it.
"One time in Oakland," Zito said when asked if he had ever taken a curtain call. "It doesn't happen much to pitchers. I definitely love the fans' support. When they're booing, they just want the team to do well. I interpret it differently than I used to. It's definitely fun to hear them involved."
For the first time in the history of the ballpark, Giants fans cheered Zito and Jeff Kent - who was honored for going on the team's Wall of Fame - on the same day. Speaking of rarities, Zito (seven K's, one walk) struck out all three batters in the first inning (Eric Young Jr., Barmes and Troy Tulowitzki) for the first time since 2001.
He had 20 straight scoreless innings entering the ninth, and he commended backup catcher Eli Whiteside, who has subbed for injured Bengie Molina (doubtful for today, according to manager Bruce Bochy) the past five games, of which the Giants won four.
Whiteside has thrown out the last three runners trying to steal and is 5-for-18 at the plate since Molina's quadriceps injury. Whiteside's RBI triple in the sixth inning rounded out the Giants' scoring.
In the four wins sans Molina (we're overlooking Joe Martinez's meltdown), the starters had a 1.50 ERA. "Each time I go out there, I'm a little more comfortable," Whiteside said.
Pablo Sandoval hit a homer for the second straight night after missing three starts with a calf injury, splashing it into McCovey Cove, the 50th time a Giant reached the water on a fly. He collected three hits before Bochy pulled him as a precaution.
"I'm excited about these games," Sandoval said. "It's a pennant race. The series is important for us."
The Giants scored five runs (three in the sixth) off 14-game winner Jason Marquis. But with Zito gone, Romo surrendered two singles, and Jeremy Affeldt gave up Seth Smith's two-run single. Wilson was summoned to face pinch-hitter Todd Helton, who singled, but the closer retired Barmes for his 32nd save.
 Colorado (72-58) Lost 4 | San Francisco 5, Colorado 3 |  San Francisco (71-59) Won 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Standings thru 8/29/09 | Recap: COL | SF | Wrap | Gameday |
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
No comments:
Post a Comment