Mercury NewsThere might come a day when the Giants get four or five hitters to click, when manager Bruce Bochy will be able to write out some semblance of a set lineup and when they will score enough to win going away.
Until that happens, one run is enough for Tim Lincecum and Brian Wilson to win. And Darren Ford is fast enough to score it.
Lincecum pitched with his usual ebullience through eight innings, Wilson handled the ninth, Ford stole second base, and Cody Ross advanced him those final 180 feet, dumping a single just inside the left-field line as the Giants walked off with a 1-0 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Tuesday night.
The Giants have played 13 home games -- all sellouts. And they know how to keep the faithful hooked. They own five adrenaline-pumping walk-off victories.
"Well, you know what? It'd be nice to have it easier," said Bochy, obviously not thinking about the way these celebratory helmet slappers must be spurring ticket sales.
"But these guys are used to it. That's the way they play. They know any pitch, any at-bat can win a game. I don't know about magic, but it's nice to find ways to win when you're scuffling offensively."
It's because of all these late-inning squeakers that Bochy opted to keep Ford on the roster. Instead, he made space to activate Andres Torres and Mark DeRosa by optioning infielders Manny Burriss and Ryan Rohlinger to Triple-A Fresno.
Bochy acknowledged it was unorthodox to keep six outfielders and have just one backup middle infielder.
"But it really wasn't a debate, to be honest," he said. "We knew his value on this club vs. the other two. It's not a knock against Manny or Ryan. But the type of games we play, (Ford's speed) is going to be a factor."
Where was Ford when Buster Posey worked a leadoff walk from Arizona right-hander David Hernandez?
"I'm sitting," Ford said, smiling. "I'm sitting right next to Bochy. All he has to do is turn around and look, and he'll see me."
Ford replaced Posey, turned to first-base coach Roberto Kelly and was cleared for takeoff.
"He said, 'Go.' I went the next pitch," Ford said. "He said take it. And I took it."
Ford stole second base without a throw from Arizona catcher Miguel Montero. Then he scored with ease on Ross' clutch hit.
"It's coming," said Ross, who owns all four of the Giants' RBIs over the past two games. "We have a lot of confidence in each other. We know somebody's going to get it done. I just wish we could do it earlier."
The run came too late for Lincecum to get the decision, although he more than earned it. He took a no-hitter into the sixth, struck out nine and extended his streak to 17 scoreless innings.
Although Lincecum had an extra day of rest since his previous outing, he was coming off a 127-pitch start Wednesday in New York -- the most pitches he has logged in a game in nearly two seasons. But this isn't the 155-pound wisp that ran on fumes at times last summer. He is stronger and fitter and has more pitches in his arsenal.
"Leave everything out there," Lincecum said. "In the gym and on the track, too."
Just four starts after taking a no-hitter into the seventh inning at Coors Field, Lincecum had the makings of another serious bid. But pitcher Ian Kennedy, of all people, broke it up with a one-out single up the middle in the sixth.
Kennedy had his own work of art in progress. The right-hander entered with a 2.67 ERA in five career starts against the Giants, and the additions of Torres and DeRosa failed to put up a run against him.
Torres, playing for the first time since April 9 because of a strained left Achilles tendon, singled and drew a walk. DeRosa's return wasn't as fruitful. He failed in two RBI situations, striking out to strand two runners in the second inning and grounding into a double play with the bases loaded to end the fourth.
There wasn't an unsold seat at China Basin. The Giants are 13 for 13 in sellouts this season, and the latest packed house wasn't a weekend contest against a premium opponent. It was a midweek game. A school night.
The Giants didn't decide it until the end, but for the kids in attendance, at least they had the courtesy to stay away from extra innings.
"That's just the way it is here," Lincecum said. "They get on their feet for big innings, big outs. They know anything can happen."
No comments:
Post a Comment