Mercury News
Once again, the Giants' strong rotation failed to land the finishing blow Saturday afternoon. Once again, a late rally came up short against the San Diego Padres' weary but willful bullpen.
And once again, the Giants were left aching for that final victory they must have to pig-pile upon each other as NL West champions.
Nibbling left-hander Barry Zito walked in two runs in the first inning, momentarily sucking the life out of China Basin, and the Giants failed to summon a 2010 reincarnation of Bobby Thomson as the Padres held on for a 4-2 victory to set up one of the wildest final Sundays in pennant-race history.
An unprecedented three-way tie? Sudden-death tiebreakers in San Diego one day and Atlanta the next? Or book a trip to the postseason even before Jonathan Sanchez throws the first pitch today? The head explodes with possibilities, any of which could happen.
Even if the Giants lose today's showdown between Sanchez and Mat Latos, they would not be eliminated. In the worst-case scenario, they'd have to lose two additional tiebreaker games (Monday at San Diego, then Tuesday at Atlanta) to be shut out of their first postseason since 2003.
But the players continue to keep it simple: Win today, clinch the NL West, pop corks.
"You know what? It feels the same as it's felt the last month," said Buster Posey, the Giants' level-headed rookie catcher. "We've got to go out and win a game. It's probably felt like that since Sept. 1." A day after Matt Cain gave up three home runs in an uncharacteristic shelling, Zito delivered a performance that was all too familiar to Giants fans. He gave up soft singles to the first two batters he faced and pitched from his heels the rest of the afternoon, seemingly fearing contact. After an intentional walk to Adrian Gonzalez loaded the bases, Zito missed on 3-2 pitches to Yorvit Torrealba and Scott Hairston to force in runs. The sellout crowd groaned and Zito wasn't able to generate any good will from fans, many of whom will forever view him as a $126 million albatross. Manager Bruce Bochy let Zito hit for himself with two outs and the bases empty in the third inning, hoping at least to keep his bullpen fresh for whatever awaited the Giants in the coming days. But Zito walked pitcher Tim Stauffer to lead off the fourth, and Bochy could stomach no more. "I had no choice," Bochy said. "Actually, his stuff was fine. It looked like he was getting out of that (first) inning, but the walks hurt him. He was off." Zito struggled with fastball command and credited the Padres for taking changeups that normally draw swings, saying it made the difference in the game. "To scuffle in a game like this, I'm disappointed in myself," Zito said. "I'm very disappointed I didn't do what I came out to do. I was nitpicking, and that leads to falling behind, and that leads to walks." Stauffer didn't have the same problem, holding the Giants to an infield single through six innings. The former long reliever escaped a jam created by a walk and an error in the sixth, when he struck out Posey on a cutter that started outside before snapping back near the plate. The pitch was good enough for plate umpire Mike Everitt but not for Bochy, who stormed out of the dugout to argue and was ejected. "It was just frustration," Bochy said. "I know the hitters are frustrated. It's a big game, and when you have enough (calls), it builds up. These are big at-bats." Juan Uribe broke the shutout bid with his career-best 24th home run in the seventh, and the Giants rallied in the ninth against closer Heath Bell, who was appearing for the fourth consecutive day. The crowd sensed magic brewing as Pat Burrell doubled and held at third on Uribe's blooper that landed near the chalk in right field. Pablo Sandoval followed with a single that scored Burrell. But with the tying runs on base, pinch hitter Jose Guillen grounded into a double play to end it. It was the 157th rally-killing double play for the Giants -- the most in the NL. "We had the right guy up there," said Bochy, adding he might have considered starting pinch runner Darren Ford from first base in a favorable count. But Guillen could not channel Thomson, and the Giants continue to play for their lives. "Definitely, we don't want to go back to San Diego," right-hander Sergio Romo said. "But we can't look past tomorrow. It's the biggest game of the season for us. "We knew they were going to come in and be competitive, but watch out. We still like our chances, too."
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