|
|
|
|
|
A's shut out the Giants behind Gonzalez
By Morris Phillips May 22, 2010 |
||
|
|
|||
|
Gio Gonzalez is nothing, if not a team guy. After beating Toronto earlier this month, he praised catcher Josh Donaldson, who homered and was proficient behind the plate. And he didn’t stop there. He also lauded catchers, Jake Fox, Landon Powell and Kurt Suzuki for their professional approaches to calling games. And he commended pitching coach, Curt Young, and his father, Max, for simplifying his throwing motion. On Saturday, after Gonzalez retired the final 20 batters he faced in a 1-0 shutout of the Giants, the lefty referenced Dallas Braden and his perfect game, issued respect to manager Bob Geren and his decision to pull him after eight innings, despite having thrown just 95 pitches, and then thanked closer Andrew Bailey for finishing the job. “(Bailey) put the crowd on their feet, and that’s the guy you want to put out there to shut it down,” Gonzalez said. Did Gonzalez miss anyone? Only himself. In shutting down the Giants on only two hits and a walk, Gonzalez was exceptional and efficient, mixing a hard-breaking curveball with plus fastballs to the corners. The Giants, who came in with offensive issues, saw them compounded by Gonzalez and his nasty pitches. San Francisco failed to get a runner as far as third base all day. Gonzalez kept his defense engaged with his rapid pace, and they responded with some dandy putouts. First baseman Daric Barton snagged Gonzalez’ errant throw on a comebacker in the seventh. Ryan Sweeney raced into the rightfield bullpen area on a couple of a foul outs, and Adam Rosales showed off his big arm, replacing Kevin Kouzmanoff at third base. Bailey picked up his seventh save, and along with Giants’ slugger Pablo Sandoval, entertained the big crowd with a lengthy hitter-pitcher battle with the outcome on the line. During the ten-pitch duel, Edgar Renteria stole second base, giving the Giants a real opportunity to tie the game. Although Sandoval eventually drew a walk, Bailey gathered himself and struck out the next batter, Bengie Molina to end it. The A’s scored the only run of the game, without the benefit of a base hit, in the third, when Coco Crisp’s sacrifice fly plated Rosales. Two sacrifices and an error on Giants’ first baseman Aubrey Huff contributed to the rally, as well as Matt Cain’s frustration. The Giants’ hard throwing right hander, pitched great and battled to keep the Giants close, only to be undone by his team’s anemic offense. Gonzalez has won consecutive starts, following a pair of losses, and he reversed an awful outing he had last year against the Giants, when he was gone by the fourth inning, after allowing a career-high ten hits in a 6-3 loss. The A’s improved to 22-22 and saw the stiff wind blow good news into the Coliseum, much needed with the team’s ragged play over the last month and the sobering injury situations surrounding Eric Chavez, who landed on the DL again, and Justin Duchscherer. Both players, frustrated by chronic injuries, may consider retirement if their bodies don’t respond to rest and treatment. Duchscherer continues to rehab in Arizona, but has only progressed to soft throwing in hopes that he can overcome his troubles with his hip. Of course, the revolving door brings them in as well as sends them out, and Crisp made his season debut on Friday and Mark Ellis returned Saturday, as the hamstring injury that sidelined him in April has healed. Brett Anderson, the A’s presumptive ace, is expected back next weekend. The A’s look for the Bay Bridge series sweep on Sunday as Ben Sheets is opposed by San Francisco’s Jonathan Sanchez. |
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||