|
|
|
|
|
Giants closing in on Wild Card with 7-4 victory in Chicago
By Joe Cronin and Ken Gimblin September 3, 2006 |
||
|
|
|||
|
The San Francisco Giants took game three and the series, from the Chicago Cubs, with a 7-4 victory at Wrigley Field in Chicago on Sunday afternoon, with some key scoring, as the Giants were down 3-1 in the top of the fifth inning an rallied with four runs to take a 5-3 lead, and finally won the game 7-4. In the top of the fifth, Omar Vizquel tripled to deep right field to score Steve Finley and Eliezer Alfonso scored, to tie the game at 3-3. Then Shea Hillenbrand hit a two run blast over the left field ivy and the Giants were in the drivers seat for good with a 5-3 lead at that point. In the top of the 8th, Barry Bonds his 729th career home run off of Cubs reliever Les Walrond. Bonds now trail Henry Aaron by just 26 homers, and could be doing in a different uniform next season. Bonds’ homer made the score 6-3. Chicago scored their last run of the day in the bottom of the 8th, when Derrek Lee sacrificed, scoring Matt Murton, to make the score 6-4, Giants. In the top of the ninth, Vizquel tripled to deep center, which scored Steve Finley to give the Giants their final run of the game, and made the final score 7-4, Giants. The Giants Jason Schmidt (W, 11-8 ERA 3.39) went seven innings plus for the win giving up eight hits and three runs, walked two and struck out five. The Cubs Michael Wuertz (L, 1-1 ERA 3.25) lost in relief after picking up for Guzman. Wuertz went no thirds of an inning, giving up two hits, and two runs. The Giants are still 5 ½ games out of first place in the N.L. West and are 2 ½ games out in the Wild Card with 26 games to play. JC and Kenny G's Giant footnotes: Former Giants manager Dusty Baker said before the game against the Giants on Sunday that he's aware he might be leaving the Cubs after the season is completed. The main reason why he was not fired during the season despite calls from the Chicago press that he should go is that the players made it clear that they wanted him to stay on and manage the club. Just like in San Francisco the players love Dusty. "You put yourself in my position, what would your answer be? It's not only Jim, it's the whole picture. Just period. I'm not going to be the overwhelming favorite. You hear about who's available, who's going to take your job, who's this and that, and that leads to 'sometimes'." said Baker. It's not been Dusty's fault he's been hit with injuries from players like Mark Prior, Kerry Wood, Derrick Lee last year's batting champ. Baker who at one time his name surfaced as a replacement for Felipe Alou, whose contract has not been renewed by the Giants as a possibility for next season and is almost not even in the running for his former job said, "I'm not even going to address that issue anymore because we've got five weeks of baseball left and I plan on doing my job and enjoying my job. I love my job and I love baseball and I love what I'm doing. It's been my life for so long." said Baker. There is little doubt that Dusty will end up working in baseball somewhere it would be nice to see him come up to the broadcast booth but he still may managing in his blood after this year. Monday's match ups at Great American Ball Park: The Giants open up a three game match up in Cincinnati at 2:10PM. The Giants will start Brad Hennessey (5-4 ERA 3.70) Hennessey lost his last start in Atlanta 5-3 on August 30th. The Giants have lost in Hennessey's last three starts in which Hennessey has pitched. The Reds will be starting Aaron Harang (13-10 ERA 3.75) Harang has lost his last two starts his last coming against the Dodgers in L.A. 7-3 on August 30th. Joe Cronin and Ken Gimblin co-host Sportstalk on 1690 KFSG Sacramento. Quote source: ESPN 1000 All Sports Chicago. |
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||