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Dominating pitching performance overshadowed by other events
By Jeremy Kahn July 21, 2006 |
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SAN FRANCISCO-Only two things could have overshadowed the pitching performance by San Francisco starter Matt Cain. Both of them occurred on the same night to knock Cain to the back burner of the game situation. Despite pulling with one-half game of the division-leading San Diego Padres after a 8-2 victory at AT&T Park, Cain still could not overcome the fact that Barry Bonds had to leave the game in the bottom of the third inning and the subsequent trade that Brian Sabean pulled off on the same evening. Bonds was hit by a pitch thrown by Jake Peavy that struck the Giants slugger on the left knee, forcing him to limp down to first base in the bottom of the first inning. Even though he was hurting, Bonds was able to score one of the four runs that the Giants put on the board in the first inning off of Peavy. After singling of the right field wall in the bottom of the third inning, Bonds decided that enough was enough and left the game with a left knee contusion and a sore quadriceps muscle. Currently, Bonds is listed as day-to-day after the injury to the non-surgically knee of the soon-to-be 42-year old. Sabean traded Jeremy Accardo to the Toronto Blue Jays in exchange for Shea Hillebrand and Vinnie Chulk. "This team is really focused. It is built around veterans for a reason. To get something done sooner, than to have to wait in what I perceive to be a very slow market, hopefully bodes well," said Sabean." I think the team will appreciate that we're putting this foot forward." Cain came within an out of pitching a complete game shutout, but Khalil Greene ruined that, when he hammered a Cain pitch into the left-center field bleachers. He gave up seven hits and two runs, as the 21-year old rookie struck out five and walked just one in picking up his first win since defeating the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim on June19. Mark Sweeney hit a two-run single; Omar Vizquel had two hits, as the Giants won their season-high fourth straight game. It was a historical night for Padres catcher Mike Piazza, as he became just the eighth catcher in major league history to top the 2,000 hit plateau. The 1993 National League Rookie of the Year picked up the milestone hit, when he cranked a double of Cain in the top of the second inning. |
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