Mercury News
The Giants would love to join the local airwaves and newspapers here, gleefully yakking about a potential playoff matchup with the Phillies.
But first, they have to get there — and they have to get healthy.
A lineup without Bengie Molina or Pablo Sandoval had almost no fight against Cole Hamels, who pitched a two-hitter while leading the Phillies to a rare 1-0 victory over the Giants at Citizens Bank Park on Tuesday night.
The Giants fell out of a tie atop the wild-card standings with the Colorado Rockies, who beat the Mets at Coors Field.
Molina sat out for a seventh consecutive game because of a tight upper-right quadriceps, and Sandoval's troublesome calf compelled manager Bruce Bochy to rest him as a precaution. Also absent was second baseman Freddy Sanchez, who will miss all six games on this trip because his strained left shoulder is healing slowly.
Sandoval, the club's only significant offensive threat, drew a pinch walk in the ninth inning and is expected to play today. But he hobbled around the clubhouse following the game in a walking boot — clearly no condition to begin a September sprint down the stretch.
Giants general manager Brian Sabean acquired a new No. 5 starter in Brad Penny on Monday, but he was unapologetic about coming up empty in a last-minute scan for more offense.
"By the time we got to that point, we were resolved to go with what we had," said Sabean, whose club ranks 15th in runs per game, 15th in home runs and last in on-base percentage among the 16 National League teams. "Now it's about winning the games. Not the artistic appearance, but being on the right side of the scoreboard. "Nobody has to tell these guys they don't have a prototypical lineup. But this time of year, it doesn't make any difference. You do what you have to do to win. You control what you can control, find a way to keep the game close and win in the end." Jonathan Sanchez drafted his portion of the blueprint, holding the Phillies to three hits in six innings. Ryan Howard drove in the only run on an end-of-the-bat double in the fourth. But the Giants' weakened and unimproved lineup managed just one baserunner in the first eight innings against Hamels. Ryan Garko hit a leadoff double in the second and was stranded there. "We couldn't get him over and get him in," Bochy said. "They did, and that was the difference in the game." That, and a busted rally in the ninth. Rich Aurilia led off with a pinch single, but with Sandoval at the plate, pinch runner Andres Torres was caught stealing. Torres decided on his own to run on Hamels' first move; the pitcher saw him break and threw to first base.Torres made it a close play at second base and said his hand reached the bag ahead of the tag, but umpire Tony Randazzo disagreed. "He thought he had him read there and he didn't," said Bochy, who had a red light on Torres earlier in the count. "Once he got behind, you've got your best base stealer out there. You take risks sometimes. I want these guys going all out, not afraid to make a mistake." After Sandoval walked, Bochy went to the bench again for Molina, who couldn't recapture his long-ball magic from last Wednesday's win over the Diamondbacks. He struck out on three pitches and Sunday's hero, Edgar Renteria, popped up to end the game. Afterward, Molina said he would have caught if the Giants had prolonged the game. But his leg was fatigued, and he didn't expect to return to the lineup until Thursday. Most lineups drink a healing tonic here at cozy Citizens Bank Park, where even J.T. Snow had a three-homer game. It was only the Phillies' second 1-0 victory in five seasons here. Was it artistic? That's in the eye of the beholder. But there's no debating who was on the wrong side of the scoreboard. From: MLB.com
 San Francisco (72-60) Lost 1 | Philadelphia 1, San Francisco 0 |  Philadelphia (76-53) Won 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Standings thru 9/1/09 | Recap: SF | PHI | Wrap | Gameday |
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