Mercury News
CINCINNATI -- Even with Carlos Beltran anchoring their lineup, the Giants have holes on their roster. For instance, they lack a right-handed-hitting shortstop -- someone to be this year's version of Edgar Renteria.
And, oh yes, you'd better believe this year's Renteria still knows how to meet a spotlight.
In a theatrical ending to a tense, 13-inning game, Renteria, the Giants' World Series MVP last season, bested Brian Wilson, who threw the final pitch that made the Giants champions.
Renteria lunged at an outside cutter, angled his body as he ran down the line and tossed his helmet when the ball nearly hit the chalk down the right-field line to give the Cincinnati Reds a 4-3 victory Friday night at Great American Ball Park.
"I prayed to get it fair," said Renteria, who declined the Giants' offer to return at a significant pay cut over the winter. "It was great. It was great against anybody. Facing a great closer like Wilson, I have to battle. I have to battle every pitch he throws. I got lucky I got a base hit."
The Reds' biggest horseshoe moment came one batter earlier, when reliever Jose Arredondo, making his first big league plate appearance, hit a chopper off the baked infield that went over third baseman Pablo Sandoval's head.
Wilson had issued a leadoff walk to Jay Bruce, and Arredondo, batting because the Reds were out of position players, hopelessly tried to bunt. That's when Cincinnati pitcher Johnny Cueto nudged manager Dusty Baker and reminded him that Arredondo first signed as a shortstop.
Baker boldly had Arredondo swing away to put runners at first and second. Then Renteria, whose three-run home run made all the difference in the Giants' World Series clincher, took a professional swing at a 1-2 pitch.
Catcher Eli Whiteside said he thought Wilson had sped up Renteria's bat with inside pitches that he fouled off. Wilson said he was hoping for a double play or strikeout.
"In the swing I saw, he was able to throw his bat at it and was able to place it perfectly on the line," Wilson said. "Can't do much about that."
The Giants didn't do enough offensively, and their lack of a right-handed-hitting shortstop exposed them. They had to start Mike Fontenot against left-hander Dontrelle Willis; Fontenot went 0 for 5 to extend an 0-for-22 streak, and worse, he stranded eight men on base while ending four innings.
Giants manager Bruce Bochy said he didn't consider pinch-hitting Brandon Belt for Fontenot with the bases loaded in the 10th inning. Fontenot struck out swinging on three pitches from Francisco Cordero.
"Font's been around," Bochy said. "He's got more at-bats in the major leagues. There were two outs, too. That's not a time to start burning up players.
"He had a tough matchup today. We have two left-handed-hitting shortstops."
Rookie Brandon Crawford, challenged at the plate, is the other. The club should have Miguel Tejada back from the disabled list in another week, but he doesn't have the range to play the position well anymore.
The Giants are rumored to have asked the Dodgers about Rafael Furcal. Maybe they should ask the Reds about Renteria, too.
As usual, the pitching staff gave the Giants every opportunity to win. Ryan Vogelsong managed a quality start -- six innings, three earned runs -- despite a laborious first two innings that included six hits and 49 pitches thrown in steamy conditions.
"As bad as I've been," said Vogelsong, who responded by getting "(ticked) off enough that I just started throwing it."
The bullpen was unreal, too, as five relievers combined for six shutout innings. Add outfielder Nate Schierholtz's arm to the list, too. He made a strong throw to save the game in the 10th inning, throwing out Joey Votto trying to score on Todd Frazier's fly ball to medium left field.
But the Giants couldn't find another clutch hit after Whiteside's tying double in the eighth.
"You give a team like that enough chances, after a while, they'll find a way," Bochy said. "It takes a big hit somewhere along the line, especially in this ballpark."
Bochy wasn't too charitable when asked about Renteria. There might be some sore feelings over the veteran's departure and subsequent comments about feeling disrespected.
But there's no doubting he is still dramatic when the right moment arrives. He stopped on first base, calmly turned toward the home dugout and waited motionless for his teammates to engulf him.
"The only guy I don't want in that situation," Sandoval said. "That's the only guy I was scared of."
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