Matt Cain threw 102 pitches in his five-plus innings, laboring with long counts and a strike zone the size of a potato. In the 5th, a blown double play allowed a run to score and extended the inning, and the 31 pitches seemed to do him in. He was gassed in the 6th and gave up back-to-back leadoff hits, one of the runners scoring after Cain was pulled. A little better luck and a little bit sharper command (four walks) and maybe Matty gets through six without help. The Giants put together a quick run in the 1st with a clutch hit from Pablo Sandoval, squeaked out another run in the 4th on a bases-loaded walk, and got the big blow (2-run HR) they really needed from Buster Posey in the 5th. The D-Backs kept the pressure on with a run in the 9th but it wasn't enough. It took seven relievers and 77 pitches to get the last 12 outs. The 'pen allowed five hits, two walks, and a run in their four innings, and allowed one inherited runner to score. Jeremy Affeldt hurt his groin throwing a pitch and it didn't look good. In fact, not much about this game looked good, other than the result. It was ugly. The Giants had two guys thrown out at the plate, two errors at short by two different guys, and way too many pitching changes. But they won, and that's what counts. The Affeldt injury is a bummer--it's a big loss for the team. Someone else will just have to step up. If anything, that's the theme for 2013.
Madison Bumgarner has a chance to lead the team to a sweep. They are now 4-1/2 back. A win tomorrow and they cut the deficit to 3-1/2 games and give Arizona something to think about. Tonight was a grind, a real torture-fest. Maybe they can score ten runs tomorrow and give us a laugher. What do you think? Yeah, I know, probably won't happen. It will be a nail-biter, just like tonight. That's how these guys roll, and as long as they keep it rolling I can't complain.
GO GIANTS!
--M.C.
3 comments:
Hooray for a "W" for Cain, but the concern does not cease. He still does not look OK. Hooray for the team, having won 5 of the last 6 games. But it seems like what we've done in the last 2 days is do the Dodgers a favor, as they're now poised to claim 1st place.
Tim Flannery sends Buster Posey home with NO OUTS? Yes, it took a great relay to get him, but he just wasted a men on 2nd and 3rd zero out opportunity. 1-0 game, two in scoring position, chance to tie? I'll take that. You want to send a runner, send one of the fast guys, the team's got a ton of them. Christ. No reason for that stupid "go" sign. C'mon, Flannery. Get your head in the game. Bad move, man. Cost the team the inning and blew the best scoring chance so far.
Ah, Ross makes it moot. Too bad, the team wasted a great effort by Bumgarner, and blew a chance to gain another game in the race.
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