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Giants closing the wild card gap to two games
By Ken Gimblin and Joe Cronin August 27, 2006 |
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SAN FRANCISCO--The Giants picked up their 11th win in 14 games on Sunday afternoon at AT&T Park blasting the Cincinnati Reds by a score of 8-0. "Perfect incredible," said Giants Manager Felipe Alou, "only two games out of the wild card I've never had too much faith in the wild card". "I want to win the division, but hey it’s up to the players," Alou added. Pitcher Matt Cain threw a shut out for seven innings against Cincinnati, and never giving the Reds a chance to score. Alou was impressed again with another Matt Cain performance, "before I met him, I already knew him because of all the good things that everybody was saying about him. Everything came to be true he's getting better every outing.” When asked about the distance Cain went, Alou added, “Unfortunately we left him there in almost 130 pitches we didn't want him to do that we want him fresh for September but he seems to be okay. He realizes the importance of every pitch as oppose to a lot of pitches that didn't mean much and had much more concentration.” Cain in his seven innings of work, gave up 4 hits, and walked 2, and struck out 9, and his day was done in the bottom of the seventh when he was pinch hit for by Todd Linden. Cain also faced 27 batters, and that's pretty good because it takes 27 batters to pitch a perfect game in the majors. Cain didn't get a perfect game but he pitched a shut out against one of the better hitting teams in the majors. “I believe every time he throws a pitch to the plate he has some pop behind it,” Alou went on to say, “[He has] Some strategy or what ever he wants to do something with it. He's maturing and understanding." The Giants offense was in high gear on Sunday San Francisco has 15 hits and scored in every inning but two. Bonds had three hits, as did Shea Hillenbrand two hits for Pedro Feliz and Ray Durham. Alou said about Bonds three hits, "Right now I don't believe he's getting any pitches to hit homers. He's getting pitches to do what he is doing now and we need that. A walk and a single is the same thing but the single drives in runs." "He looks pretty good there especially after an off day I don't believe this team is going to slow down the feeling each year is such that I intend of having another road trip (of success) things went so good today you'd think they're in the middle of a pennant race because they are." said Alou. The Giants are now 1 game below .500 and two games out of the wild card and three games back in the N.L. West but they must go to Atlanta and play the Braves on Tuesday night for a three game series. With the Giants winning those 11 out of the past 14 that's pretty good but it’s not good enough to over take the leader the L.A. Dodgers but we'll see. The Giants looks to be in a lot better condition they think they can win and that's what it really takes. JC and Kenny G's footnotes: Felipe Alou is hoping for more positive results on the road trip and says the team is prepared for the big three game series with the Braves. "How will we fare in the heat in the southeast" You know Alou is up to something lets take a look at the games the Giants play all 4:35PM PDT starts at Turner Field on Tuesday through Thursday nights. The pitching itinerary has Jason Schmidt (10-7), starting for the Giants on Tuesday, and will go against the Braves Tim Hudson (10-10). On Wednesday Brad Hennessey (5-3) for the Giants and he'll face Chuck James who'll start for Atlanta (6-3) and on Thursday Matt Morris will get the call (9-11) against John Schmoltz (12-6). Bonds in the Sunday's game took his 100th free pass of the season the 13th time he's done so in his career which ties a major league record set by Babe Ruth. Bonds is the first National Leaguer to hit the 100 walk mark this season and Bonds recorded his second three hit game this season. The last time was August 5th against Colorado. Dave Newhouse of the Oakland Tribune said that he was turning in his Baseball Writers Association membership card back to the MLB writers’ chapter of America. Newhouse whose appeared on Sportstalk on remotes, said that he couldn't vote for someone who he's not sure played the game fair or not regarding Hall of Fame balloting. Mark McGwire is coming up for election this year and Newhouse said he had a hard time with that vote and just decided to make it known that he didn't want any part of voting for someone who might have cheated by using steroids, human growth hormone, or etc. Not knowing one way or the other makes it difficult. Newhouse surrendering his membership means that he can not vote in any of the Hall of Fame balloting which members of the BBWA has the privilege of. Broadcasters and electronic media reporters do not hold that privilege. Newhouse is the only writer so far in the BBWA to turn in his membership status. Joe Cronin and Ken Gimblin co-host Sportstalk on 1690 KFSG Sacramento. |
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