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Durham again goes for the dramatics
By Jeremy Harness
July 19, 2006
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San Francisco Giants' Ray Durham hits a two RBI single off Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Derrick Turnbow during the ninth inning of their game in San Francisco, Wednesday July 19, 2006. The Giants' Jose Vizcaino and Steve Finley scored on the play and the Giants won the game, 7-6.
(AP Photo/Benjamin Sklar)
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What can you say about Ray Durham? The oft-injured second baseman had been a huge disappointment in the previous three seasons he had spent in a Giants uniform, but he has seemed to find new life in these past couple of months and has contributed to wins on the scoreboard.
It seemed to start against Oakland in late June, as he tagged A’s closer Huston Street for a walk-off three-run homer to give the Giants a win, and then days later, he hit a grand slam against Texas to bring them another victory.
On Wednesday afternoon, Durham did it again, driving in four runs in the last five innings, including a two-run walk-off single in the bottom of the ninth to give the Giants a 7-6 win over the Milwaukee Brewers at AT&T Park, giving the home team the series victory in the process.
With the Giants in a 6-2 deficit to the Brewers, Durham sprung back to action, starting with a two-run homer to deep left in the fifth inning to cut the Brewers’ lead to 6-4.
Eliezer Alfonzo hit a solo homer in the bottom of the eighth inning to narrow the lead to a single run, and in the next inning, the Giants got it going against Brewers closer Derrick Turnbow.
Barry Bonds started off the inning with a single. Two batters later, Steve Finley lined a one-out double, putting runners on second and third before Moises Alou was walked intentionally to load the bases.
Durham then calmly came to bat and blooped a single to shallow right center, allowing pinch runner Jose Vizcaino to score the tying run, while Finley came behind him with the winning run.
The Giants will welcome the San Diego Padres to AT&T Park for a four-game series that starts Thursday night. At press time, the Giants sit only 2 ˝ games behind the front-running Padres in the National League West.
NOTES: According to the Associated Press, Greg Anderson, Bonds’ personal trainer, is to be released from a California prison Thursday, which is the day that the grand jury’s investigation into Bonds’ alleged testimony about his alleged steroid use is to expire.
The AP notes that the timeframe on when Bonds could be indicted on perjury and tax evasion charges is uncertain, but it is very likely that the indictment could come this month.
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