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Dodgers continue to roll, light up Giants pitching
By Daniel Dullum August 19, 2006 |
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SAN FRANCISCO-With a combined 21 runs scored on 25 hits, three walks and three errors, one of the most noteworthy facts emerging from the Los Angeles Dodgers’ 14-7 drubbing of the San Francisco Giants was that the game was played in two hours and 30 minutes. That, and Greg Maddux reached another milestone on his journey to Cooperstown. Maddux (11-11), who joined Los Angeles in a July 31 trade with the Chicago Cubs, took advantage of an early 10-run cushion and went six innings to pick up his second win as a Dodger. It was the 329th win of his career, passing John Clarkson and tying Steve Carlton for 10th place on the all-time victory list. “That’s kind of cool,” Maddux said. “My brother Mike got to play with [Carlton] in Philadelphia and he’s told me a lot of stories about him, so it’s an honor, a privilege.” “This guy is amazing,” Dodgers manager Grady Little said of Maddux. “He gave us a good outing again today. He probably could have gotten away with a few less runs, but he was strong through six innings and probably could have gone a little bit longer if we needed him to tonight.” Maddux admitted the impressive run support helped, saying, “Runs can make you look good real quick, and you have to tip your hat to our offense. They swung the bats exceptionally well.” The veteran right-hander, a career .176 hitter, ignited the Dodgers’ seven-run rally in the second inning when he led off with a ground rule double off loser Brad Hennessey (5-3). “Swing hard in case you hit it,” Maddux said. “I can’t hit, never could hit, but you take your hacks.” Los Angeles has won 18 of its last 21 games and maintains its lead in the NL West. The Giants, meanwhile, fell to a six-game deficit. The Dodgers took a 3-0 lead in the top of the first, keyed by a two-run triple by former Oakland farmhand Andre Ethier. In the second inning, they sent 11 hitters to the plate while chasing Hennessey. Los Angeles had two key plays in that big second inning: First, Rafael Furcal reaching on a sacrifice bunt when Hennessey overthrew to first, allowing Furcal and Maddux to score after an errant throw by second baseman Ray Durham. Then, after a double by Kenny Lofton, and singles by Nomar Garciaparra and J.D. Drew, Jeff Kent delivered a two-RBI triple. Maddux completed the rally with a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Ethier, who finished with four hits. “Ethier can flat out hit,” Maddux said. “You sit on the bench and try to figure out how you’re going to face him, because you know you’re going to pitch against him sooner or later. I’m impressed.” Giants’ manager Felipe Alou said, “Hennessey did not have it tonight. He had a shot at throwing a couple of guys out, but I don’t know what happened. His pitches were up … Actually, I didn’t see any of his good pitches tonight. And the truth is some of his bad games have happened here at home. Usually, it’s the opposite.” “It wasn’t the heavy sinker that we saw in San Diego. Things like that are going to happen. There was a couple of opportunities to kill that second inning when the ball was thrown away a couple of times, and once it wasn’t thrown at all.” The Giants looked like they would claw back into the game, roughing up Maddux with four runs in the fourth. After Omar Vizquel and Ray Durham reached on back-to-back singles, Todd Linden – who replaced Barry Bonds in left field when the game appeared out of reach – smacked a run-scoring double. Moises Alou followed with a three-run homer, his 14th of the season. That closed the L.A. lead to 10-4. “Mo got me,” Maddux said of Alou’s home run. “I thought I pitched halfway decent when I got in trouble, and I didn’t throw where I wanted to. He’s a good fastball hitter, that’s what I threw him. That’s probably why you shouldn’t do that when you’re a pitcher. Just be glad we had the lead we had when he got it.” San Francisco pulled to within 10-7 with two runs in the fifth inning and a solo home run by Eliezer Alfonzo in the seventh, but the Dodgers tacked on another run in the seventh and three more in the top of the ninth. “I was worried until I walked in this clubhouse after the game,” Little said. “We don’t take anything for granted around here.” A Day for Woody at AT&T Park With the success Los Angeles Angels rookie pitcher Jared Weaver is having at the start of his career, it pleases Kirk Rueter to see his name appearing the sports pages once again. As a rookie with the Montreal Expos in 1992, Rueter won his first 10 major league starts – two shy of the major league record set in 1904 by Hooks Wiltse of the New York Giants and equaled in 1976 by Butch Metzger of San Diego. Weaver is right behind, off to a 9-0 start with the Angels. “I just saw my name on ESPN the other day because Weaver’s getting close to that 10-0,” Rueter said Saturday at AT&T Park following pre-game ceremonies honoring his San Francisco Giants career that ended one year ago. Rueter insists he isn’t rooting against Weaver. “He can go ahead and win. I’m out, so …” Giant’s executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Larry Baer cited Rueter's charitable contributions off the field, saying, "Woody was the ultimate competitor on the field. He truly hits the cycle, because off the field, he is such a leader in so many ways." The Giants presented the Rueter family with a trip to Maui to visit longtime Giants broadcaster Lon Simmons, who resides there. Simmons quipped, "Let him stay in a hotel. I haven't got quite enough room at my place. There's some real expensive hotels you can go to!” "I look forward to seeing you at lovely Maui where we'll get together and have some dinner at a very expensive restaurant and I'll send the check to Larry (Baer),” said Baer. Giants pitching coach Dave Righetti said, "When you're a coach or a manager, one thing you want to know is what to expect. I knew that every time this guy went out on the mound, he was going to give us a great effort and would out-compete the pitcher on the other ball club. I was right most of the time." Woody was then presented with a giant-sized bobblehead. "I'm sure you don't have one of those." Righetti said, laughing. Afterward, Rueter said, "I'll have to find room for it in 'The Shed.' I always tell people I want unique stuff in 'The Shed.' And that's unique!" At his turn at the microphone, Rueter to the crowd, "I've been in a lot of ceremonies here, and have seen a lot of the Giants greats over the years -- and I don't put myself anywhere near that category -- but I feel honored that the Giants feel I did enough while I was here to have a day for me." Rueter thanked his parents, teammates, coaches, God, his family, and everyone else on his list, saying, "It was a great run." Pointing to his wife, Karla, and his daughters Hope, 6, and Halle, 2, Rueter said, "I still miss pitching that one day out of five, but if you look at these three girls over here, that's the reason I'm home right now. I think a lot of guys would go home to this ... I'm trying to be a good husband and a good daddy." Saluting the fans, Rueter told the sellout crowd of 42,833, "I always got excited on the mound and you guys could really get me pumped up. When you've got 40,000 some people strong out here, you don't know how much of a boost that was. Through all the playoff pushes, you always gave us that extra edge." Pointing to a number of former Giants now wearing Dodger Blue, Woody said, “Even though I still love these guys standing back here, I've still got to say, 'Beat L.A.!'" With that, Rueter and his family took a lap around the AT&T Park warning track in – what else – a 1946 Ford Woody. Rueter was one of four Giants pitchers to win 100 or more games, joining a list with Juan Marichal, Gaylord Perry and Mike McCormick. In the final win of his major league career -- against the Houston Astros on May 13 -- he became the Giants' winningest lefthander in club history with his 105th victory. “One of the things I liked about being a Giant is that they made it feel like a family and they took away the business side of baseball as much as they could. As a player, that makes you feel special when you feel like you’re wanted. That was always a reason I wanted to stay here – the organization. Plus the commitment to winning.” Choosing a career highlight is easy for Rueter. Though he pitched in four National League Divisional Series, one National League Championship Series and the 2002 World Series, Woody points to a game against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sept. 17, 1997, at Candlestick Park. The Giants were trailing Los Angeles by two games in the NL West standings. Rueter scattered four hits over seven innings in a 2-1 San Francisco win that sparked the Giants run toward the division title. “That was my first year here and my first taste of postseason excitement,” Rueter said. “That’s my big memory, still. “It was a great run, from when I got here to when I retired.” After Rueter announced his retirement in March, the Giants told him they wanted have a day for him during the 2006 season. “I know five or six of the Dodgers, and with [General Manager] Ned Coletti being over there, it kind of worked out good … the rivalry. “Around April or May, I’d be sitting around about 2 in the afternoon and be thinking I should be going somewhere. You don’t realize how long you’re at a ballpark when you’re playing – it’s part of what you do. Now, it’s 2:00 and the day’s barely begun!” Unless he’s moved otherwise, Rueter doesn’t see himself returning to baseball anytime soon. ”Not quick. My little one’s only 2, so I’m going to let her get in school, then I’ll see how much time I’ve got and see what I want to do from there,” Rueter explained. “Right now, I’m going to hang out with them and be a fan for a little bit.” Rueter says his retirement days mainly consist of “spending time with the family and learning how to play golf.” Asked if he’s coaching anything like T-ball or Little League in St. Louis, where he resides, Rueter responded, “No. My oldest one doesn’t want anything to do with baseball. She plays soccer and stuff like that. We asked her if she wanted to play T-ball, and I think she associates baseball with me not being at home.” Hope and Halle needn’t worry, as it appears that Dad’s going to be home for a while. Most likely, he’ll be found in The Shed. DIAMOND DUST: The Giants signed highly regarded 16-year-old 3B Angel Villalona, a native of La Romana, Dominican Republic. Villalona will begin his career in this falls' Arizona Instructional League. ... Moises Alou’s home run was his first ever off Greg Maddux in 68 career at-bats against him. … Giants SS Tomas De LaRosa, called up from Triple-A Fresno on Saturday, made his first major league appearance since May 23, 2001, while a member of the Montreal Expos. |
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