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Dodgers win on walk off homer in bottom of 10th and sweep series
By Joe Cronin and Ken Gimblin August 13, 2006 |
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Things are going so bad for the San Francisco Giants, not only they were shutout during for nine innings, they were also shut out in extra innings on Sunday night by the Los Angeles Dodgers, they lost due to a walk-off Russell Martin home run in the bottom of the tenth with a 1-0 Dodgers victory, and it assured a series sweep also for the Dodgers. Former Giant Jeff Kent, was seen in a post game mob photo on the top of the pile celebrating with his teammates as Martin touched home and was buried in a sea of white and blue Dodger jerseys. What made the photo so ironic was his body language and facial expression said a thousand words, that there was nothing like sweet revenge over his former employer, the Giants than a three game sweep in Los Angeles. What also made it sweeter for Kent and the Dodgers, is the Giants now sink further in the cellar in the National League West, and are now 5 ½ games behind the Dodgers. Both starters for in the game pitched masterful baseball until they both were pulled by their respective teams. Giants’ starter Jason Schmidt was yanked after pitching eight innings, giving up five hits, one walk and had nine strikeouts in his afternoon of work, and lowered his ERA to 3.00. Schmidt pitched well enough to go a full nine innings, but Manager Felipe Alou thought the better of it, and reliever Mike Stanton pitched the bottom of the ninth inning. Stanton did well in his one inning of work, and in the bottom of the tenth, Vinnie Chulk was on the mound for the Giants, and with no out, Chulk gave up the homer to Russell for the victory. "Match ups like today are games that you really have to be fundamentally sound, because one run can really turn a ball game like this," said Stanton. For the Dodgers, they had veteran Greg Maddux on the mound, who also pitched eight innings, giving up two hits, and struck out four in his work. JC and Kenny G's Giant footnotes: The Giants dreadful road trip continues to San Diego for a three game series with the San Diego Padres at Petco on Monday night. The Giants have lost 15 of their last 18 games and having to play the Dodgers after coming off a nine game winning streak, was no comfort, and the Dodgers are now in the process of starting a new tear. The key to the losses in the Los Angeles has been the lack of hitting and base running by the Giants. San Francisco has scored twice on ten hits in the first seven innings of the first two games of three game set. San Francisco has only five runs on twenty five hits in the first two games. Mike Matheny's name has been thrown around as a possible candidate for new Giants manager next season. Matheny who hosted a post game show with the Giants radio broadcasters has been highlighted for that position because of the way he communicates with the players and his knowledge of the game. Felipe Alou who knows he's a lame duck is riding out this season. The losses are not his fault with the injuries and old age catching up with the roster he has Alou can only hope for not finishing the season in the cellar. The Giants have not offered Alou a new deal and Alou says that if asked back which is very unlikely he'd be back in spring training. If not he'll be fishing somewhere in Florida next season. The Giants certainly will not hire back former player, coach and manager Dusty Baker who also had been mention as a possible return. His opportunity to even to be asked for an interview is remote. Giants’ owner Peter MacGowan and President Larry Baer both kicked Baker to the curb after the 2003 season, after some bitter exchanges between them and Baker. Some of those were the leaking of Dusty's IRS problems to the media which turned Baker sour towards the end of his tenure in 2003. Dusty believed only the Giants hierarchy had access to that information and leaked the IRS problem out to the media. Dusty and the Giants brass also locked horns on contract negotiating and after Baker didn't come to the table MacGowan didn't seek Baker out either after the Giants lost the World Series in 2002 and decided to let his contract expire at the end of the 2003 season. Baker didn't exactly like the way General Manager Brian Sabean made transactions without consulting Baker and that made for bad blood. Sabean and Baker reached a point where they were not communicating and that spelled bad news for Dusty. It was apparent after the 2002 season that unless Baker wasn’t going to be offered a new contract unless the Giants would win the World Series in 2003, which didn’t happen. Baker has been called by Senator Mitchell for questioning about his two former star players who he managed Barry Bonds and Sammy Sosa. The obvious question will be if Baker can shed any light into any steroid knowledge of either player. "If I'm called I will go." said Baker about the Mitchell inquiry. Monday night's Petco madness: This is San Francisco's third visit to Petco Park and the first time the Giants were here was opening night and a fan threw a plastic syringe at Barry Bonds missing him. Bonds tossed the plastic syringe away from the playing field saying after wards, "I didn't want anyone getting hurt by it". The Giants will open the series with Brad Hennessey (4-2 ERA 2.93) the Giants have lost eight of nine games in which Hennessey has pitched in. The last one Hennessey pitched was August 9th in Arizona the Giants lost it 5-3. The last time Hennessey got a decision was on August 5th against the Rockies for a 2-1 loss. The Padres will counter with Clay Hensley (7-9 ERA 4.41) Hensley has won one game in his last three decisions. Hensley chalked up his ninth loss on August 9th his last start in New York for a 4-3 loss. Joe Cronin and Ken Gimblin co-host Sportstalk on 1690 KFSG Sacramento. Quotes courtesy of ESPN TV. |
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