Saturday, April 9, 2011

Game Wrap 4/8/2011: Giants 5 Cardinals 4

Sorry for the delayed wrap. The game went late and I had to get to work. No access to blog at work. Tonight's game was on when I got home so now I have some catching up to do.

The Giants home opener was a microcosm of last season once the game got started. TORTURE! The pregame ceremony was a must-see emotional event highlighted by Brian Wilson running the Championship banner across the field, up the steps of the RF bleachers and out to the flag pole. A large orange championship banner now flies proudly at AT&T Park. I have to say when Willie Mays came out carrying the flag and handed it to the team to be passed on down by each member to Brian Wilson. I had a tear of two in my eye. It wasn't very long ago that I wasn't sure I would live to see this day.

The game itself was a crackling good game that featured great pitching, blown leads, comebacks and ultimately and extra-inning victory that showed once again this team doesn't quit. Key lines:

Andres Torres- 2 for 6, 2B, BB. BA= .296. Torres was on base 3 times but did not score or drive in any runs.

Aaron Rowand- 2 for 3. BA= .600. Rowand came in as a defensive replacement for Aubrey Huff in LF, but ended up playing the key offensive role in the game. He scored the tying run in the bottom of the 9'th and drove in the winner with a bases loaded, walk-off single off the wall in left-center, a ball he almost certainly would have caught had he been the opposing CF.

Buster Posey- 0 for 3, 3 BB. BA= .286. Buster cheated the game 3 times, but did not score or drive in any runs.

Pablo Sandoval- 3 for 5, BB. BA= .440. He's not hitting for power, but Pablo is the hottest hitter on the team, well, other than The Gamer himself!

Pat Burrell- 1 for 2, HR(3), BB. .174/.240/.565! 3 for Burrell's 4 hits have been dingers. Pat the Bat!

Miguel Tejada- 2 for 5, HR(1), BB. BA= .233. Miggy started the scoring for the Giants in the 3'rd with a dinger that barely cleared the LF wall. A young boy made a nice catch for a souvenier.

Jonathan Sanchez- 5 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 7 K's. ERA= 2.53. It's gotten to the point where you expect a good game out of Sanchez. You just don't know for how long.

Brian Wilson- 0.2 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 0 K's. ERA= 33.75. While I think we would all agree that Willie hasn't looked like himself since coming off the DL, he has pitched in some pretty serious bad luck. It all came apart here with 2 outs. A squibber here and and walk there and pretty soon the Save was blown and the Giants were staring at a 1 run deficit going to the bottom of the ninth.

Javier Lopez- 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K's. Lopez had a rough spring, but was nails in extra innings in this one.

Dan Runzler- 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K's. No K's, but he was dominant, nonetheless, pounding the Cardinals with an overpowering fastball with good location.

The Giants record improves to 3-4 with Matt Cain taking the mound against Jaime Garcia in game two of the opening series.

2 comments:

  1. well...you now have 2 days of the majors and minors to catch up on

    surkamp pitched great last night

    decker has his squad running

    starting pitching looks a bit thin in fresno...kroon got some work in tonite....really wonder how he is gonna motivate himself

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  2. your being away for a day made me realize how much I look forwards to reading what you have to say.

    Thanks

    ReplyDelete