|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
|
|