There is but one way to win a division, and that is any way possible.
The Giants moved into a virtual tie for first place in the National League West on Friday night not with their bats and not merely with their pitching, but on the legs of Aubrey Huff and Juan Uribe.
These two big men burned the basepaths and helped the Giants break a scoreless tie without a hit in the seventh inning. Huff scored a run that stood up for a 1-0 victory, and for the first September in seven seasons, the Giants can say they sit atop the division.
"Phenomenal," Brian Wilson said after his fifth five-out save of the season and 42nd overall. Wilson then noted the accomplishment is meaningless unless the Giants keep rolling over their final 20 games, including the next two at Petco Park.
"This is what you prepare for in spring training," Wilson said. "If you're one of those guys who need a breather or a day off, go to bed early. You're going to have to suck it up and win from here on out."
The Giants, who had not been in first place since May 6, got their 80th win and ensured that they will leave San Diego no worse than two games back and could be as many as two games ahead in the West.
Jonathan Sanchez pitched five wild but scoreless innings. Completing the three-hit shutout were winner Santiago Casilla, Ramon Ramirez, Sergio Romo, Javier Lopez and Wilson. Eli Whiteside made a huge contribution, ending the eighth inning by throwing out pinch-runner Everth Cabrera trying to steal second.
The Giants beat lefty Clayton Richard for the first time in five tries this year, not that he pitched poorly. On the contrary, he took a two-hit shutout into the seventh inning, then made his only crucial mistake, hitting Huff on the right elbow.
Huff hopped and danced in wrenching pain, but he assuaged fears that he was seriously hurt when he ran away from assistant trainer Mark Gruesbeck, who was chasing him. Huff made his own medical decision to run to first base.
"I just realized it was my funny bone; nothing was broken and we're good," Huff said. "I didn't want to 'Roger Dorn' it too much."
Huff could not have been in too much agony if he could pull that "Major League" reference out of his hat.
As Pat Burrell swung and missed at a 3-2 pitch from reliever Luke Gregerson, Huff stole second. When shortstop Miguel Tejada grabbed Jose Guillen's bouncer in the hole, Huff dashed for third, beat the throw and gave third-base coach Tim Flannery a loud, celebratory hand slap.
Huff said in hindsight it was a "dumb play" to run to third on a ball in front of him, but it worked.
Uribe hit a slow bouncer to third baseman Chase Headley, who threw to second baseman David Eckstein for the force. Eckstein, dealing with hard-charging pinch-runner Nate Schierholtz, could not complete the double play. As Uribe raced across first base, umpire Jerry Crawford extended his arms palms down: safe.
Ninety feet back, Huff was scoring the game's only run.
"That's hustle on their part," manager Bruce Bochy said of Huff and Uribe. "Those guys do a good job running the bases. They may not be the fastest guys, but they've got good instincts."
The game got weird late. The Giants blew opportunities to add insurance by failing to convert two-on, no-out situations in the eighth and ninth innings. The Giants' ninth ended when Wilson hit a comebacker that was ruled a home-to-first double play because Uribe, sliding into home, grabbed the leg of catcher Nick Hundley.
Bochy said Wilson was not supposed to swing. Wilson (presumably) joked he does not know the take sign. Bochy, with a hand in Wilson's wallet, plans to re-educate him.
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