Mercury News
Aubrey Huff was the ultimate hero for the Giants on Friday night, driving in a 10th-inning run that delivered a 2-1 win over the A's at AT&T Park.
But Huff was quick to defer his heroics to the six-pack of arms that enabled the Giants to get to the 10th and allow him to drive home Emmanuel Burriss with a one-out single to right off the A's fifth pitcher, Brian Fuentes.
"You can't say enough about our pitching, top to bottom," said Huff. "We'd be 20 games under .500 if it wasn't for our pitching staff. We haven't done much offensively, but they keep us in it long enough to the end where we'll scratch something across."
Indeed, the Giants didn't allow a single earned run on this night. The only Oakland run came against starter Ryan Vogelsong, partly as the result of a Huff throwing error in the fifth inning. But with a help of some sterling defensive plays by Nate Schierholtz and Freddy Sanchez, the Giants' staff simply outlasted Oakland's own fine pitching.
Vogelsong went the first six innings and was followed by Ramon Ramirez, Jeremy Affeldt, Sergio Romo, Brian Wilson and Javier Lopez, who got the win after pitching a scoreless top of the 10th.
With the score tied 1-1 from the fifth inning on, the Giants finally put together a winning rally after not scoring since the first inning. Fresh Triple-A call-up Burriss engaged in a nine-pitch battle with Fuentes, to open the decisive 10th.
Burriss, who entered the game in the top of the 10th as a defensive replacement, ultimately hit a chopper through the hole between third and short and was sacrificed to second by Andres Torres. Following an intentional walk to Sanchez, Huff then drove home Burriss with the game-winner on a sharp single to right.
Burriss starting the rally was perhaps as significant as Huff ending it.
"You watch nine innings of baseball and our guys battling their butts off, so for me to come in and help out means the world to me," said Burriss. "It means the world for the team, too."
As for Huff, who was 0 for 8 with a walk coming into his climactic at-bat, he said he actually felt more comfortable facing Fuentes than any right-hander he'd seen during the night.
"For me right now, I get a lefty (on the mound) I feel a little more comfortable," he said. "I seem to be having some trouble with right-handers right now, go figure."
Vogelsong sailed through the first four innings, allowing just three singles, no walks and striking out five. He also received a big assist from right fielder Schierholtz in the second inning. Josh Willingham had led off the inning with a single, and after a strikeout, Mark Ellis dumped a single into right with Willingham running.
Schierholtz played the ball on a hop and fired a laser to third baseman Miguel Tejada to easily nail Willingham.
"As soon as I saw Nate play that ball, I was thinking, 'Please try to go to third,' " said Huff.
The Giants walked a tightrope in the seventh inning. Ramirez opened the frame by walking Ellis, who subsequently stole second as Ramirez struck out Kevin Kouzmanoff. Ramirez then engaged Pennington in a 10-pitch battle during which Ellis advanced to third on what was ruled a passed ball.
Ramirez won the marathon with Pennington, however, finally inducing a foul pop-up to first. That got Cahill out of the game, and with Jeremy Affeldt on the mound, Sanchez then robbed pinch-hitter Conor Jackson of an up-the-middle, go-ahead single with a diving stop and throw to first from one knee.
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