Photo Giants edge Padres; Bonds homers again

By Scary Barry Rodriguez

April 19, 2004
San Francisco Giants third baseman Edgardo Alfonzo, right, congratulates outfielders Barry Bonds, Jeffrey Hammonds and Marquis Grissom after beating the San Diego Padres 4-3 in San Francisco on Monday. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
 



It had a very inauspicious beginning. In the first inning, Giants shortstop Ray Durham booted a routine grounder off the bat of San Diego Padres third baseman Sean Burroughs. The dark clouds overhead didn't seem to bode well for the home team.

Showing poise, Giants starter Jerome Williams worked out of the mess created by yet another error on the part of Durham that put two Padre runners on base. Williams managed to induce the dangerous Ryan Klesko to pop up.

Padres starter David Wells gave up an early run on a Jeffery Hammonds double and a Marquis Grissom single. He never had the opportunity to coast because in the third inning, the Giants sluggish offense came untracked when Grissom homered with a man on base. Then it was only fitting that Barry Bonds took full advantage of a shaken Wells and homered to center field, No. 666.

The Giants couldn't produce any offense after the third inning. Williams held the Padres in check for 6 2/3 innings. Then in the seventh inning, the battle of the bullpen started. The Giants brought reliever Wayne Franklin into the game for Williams to put down a potential Padres threat.

In the eighth inning, Felix Rodriguez was brought in and successfully contained the potent San Diego bats. Eddie Oropesa came in and handled the Giants in the bottom half of the inning.

The ninth inning was a game within a game. The Padres offense woke from its slumber and battered around Giants closer Matt Herges for two runs. Then Giants manager Felipe Alou took executive action to prevent the game from slipping away.

The Padres had started the rally with a couple of seeing-eye hits. A succession of Giants relievers couldn't seem to stem the tide. The bullpen was stuck on two outs for what seemed like an eternity.

Jason Christiansen was pulled by Alou after pitching to only one batter. Jim Brower came in and succeeded where lesser mortals had failed. The fans had endured the wind and rain.

The Giants had prevailed over the San Diego Padres 4-3, but left only question marks in their wake. The offense struggled with only Grissom and Bonds shouldering the load.
 

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