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Big Unit makes possible final appearance as Giants beat Padres 4-3 in 10 innings

GameSetMatch — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 20:03:46 +0000

If Randy Johnson’s career is over, he finished it with a strikeout. The Big Unit and Pablo Sandoval each provided some final memories for a San Francisco Giants team that stayed in the wild-card chase until the last week of the season.

Johnson made what could be the last appearance of his brilliant, 22-year big league career, pitching one adventuresome inning of relief in the Giants’ 4-3, 10-inning win over the San Diego Padres on Sunday.

Although the Big Unit gave up an unearned run in the seventh that tied the game 3-3, Sandoval provided the go-ahead run when he homered on the first pitch of the 10th inning. It was Sandoval’s 25th.

The 46-year-old Johnson said Thursday that he’ll take his time in the off-season deciding his future. The 303-game winner also hoped to get one more outing this season, and manager Bruce Bochy wanted to oblige.

Click here to read the full article – By Bernie Wilson of The Canadian Press

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Molina homers twice in Giants’ win

GameSetMatch — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 19:11:44 +0000

Bengie Molina gave the San Francisco Giants something to think about as they contemplate whether to bring the veteran catcher back for another year.

Molina, who is eligible for free agency this offseason, homered twice and drove in four runs Tuesday night to lead the Giants to an 8-4 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks that kept San Francisco’s slim wild-card hopes alive.

“We don’t know what’s going to happen and Bengie doesn’t know what’s going to happen,” San Francisco manager Bruce Bochy said. “I do know he’s done a great job here. We wouldn’t be in this position … without Bengie. He’s going to be fine no matter what happens.”

Pablo Sandoval had four hits and two RBIs for the Giants, who trail NL wild card-leading Colorado by five with five games left. The Rockies beat Milwaukee 7-5 in 11 innings.

Click here to read the full article – By Associated Press of The San Francisco Chronicle

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Giants close Wild Card gap to four games

GameSetMatch — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 18:05:05 +0000

“Stranger things have happened,” Bruce Bochy was saying late Wednesday night.

San Francisco’s manager referred to a long-shot rally by the Giants into the playoffs — not to Jonathan Sanchez stepping up as the rotation’s stopper.

Although that was strange enough.

In a rotation of marquee pitchers with headlines and honors, you wouldn’t expect Sanchez to be the one to put his foot down and call for order, as he did in taking a shutout into the sixth inning of a 5-2 victory over the D-backs that kept the Giants’ playoff hearts beating.

Click here to read the full article – By Tom Singer of MLB.com

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Sanchez leaves with twisted knee

GameSetMatch — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 16:31:34 +0000

Second baseman Freddy Sanchez had to leave Monday night’s game against Arizona in the bottom of the first inning with a twisted left knee.

Sanchez will undergo an MRI on Tuesday, but manager Bruce Bochy already wasn’t counting on being able to have him available for Tuesday night’s game against the D-backs.

“He’s day-to-day for now, but I assume he’s definitely out [Tuesday],” Bochy said following Monday’s 5-4 victory in the opener of the series against the D-backs.

The aggravation of the injury that had marred Sanchez around the time of his late-July acquisition from the Pirates occurred in bizarre fashion: as he gloved an innocuous throw in from center fielder Aaron Rowand after Justin Upton had flied out.

Click here to read the full article – By Tom Singer of MLB.com

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Lincecum returning for Wild showdown

GameSetMatch — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 19:12:06 +0000

Tim Lincecum believes that the Giants need added motivation as they cling to the fringes of postseason contention.

“We’ve been pretty lax the last couple of days,” Lincecum said on Sunday, after the Giants lost the first two games of their critical series against the Los Angeles Dodgers by a combined score of 19-4. “I think it’s time for something to kick us in the butt. … We have to turn something on. This is where it counts.”

Lincecum might help provide that spark. The right-hander, who missed his last start with back spasms, will start Monday night’s series opener against the Colorado Rockies, who lead San Francisco by 4 1/2 games in the National League Wild Card race.

Click here to read the full article – By Chris Haft of MLB.com

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GameSetMatch — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 21:00:29 +0000

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Big Unit ever closer to return

GameSetMatch — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 17:46:13 +0000

Randy Johnson is playing catch from 90 feet and hopes to return as a reliever in as little as two weeks.

“This team is very close, right on the doorstep of what they want to do,” Johnson said Sunday after his left shoulder was examined by team doctors. “I want to be part of it. Right now, I’ve made great progress.”

Johnson has not pitched since tearing a muscle in his shoulder July 5. His loss has been felt, with the Giants struggling to find a fifth starter who can win in his place. Johnson does not see himself starting again this season because of the time it would take to regain the requisite arm strength. So his nameplate might read, “Randy Johnson, situational lefty.”

Click here to read the full article – By Henry Schulman of San Francisco Chronicle

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Ishikawa’s clout gives Giants victory

GameSetMatch — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 18:20:30 +0000

It made no difference to the Giants how they won Tuesday night. All they cared about was whether they’d win at all.

The Giants indeed triumphed, though they nearly wasted Travis Ishikawa’s prodigious offense and repeated Monday night’s excruciating collapse before emerging with a 5-4 decision over the Arizona Diamondbacks.

San Francisco’s crushing 6-4, 14-inning loss 24 hours earlier at Colorado made defeating the D-backs in the series opener almost imperative.

Click here to read the full article – By Chris Haft of MLB.com

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Lincecum’s rare struggle not a concern

GameSetMatch — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 17:23:44 +0000

Heat and humidity were cited as a possible cause of Tim Lincecum’s noticeable drop in velocity during Tuesday’s game.

Lincecum endured a rare bout of ineffectiveness in the Giants’ 8-5 triumph. He worked six innings and allowed all of Cincinnati’s runs, matching a season high. He also struck out a season-low two batters.

Scouts noted that Lincecum’s fastball barely exceeded 90 mph, more than 5 mph below its usual speed, and that his offspeed pitches also traveled more slowly and had less bite.

Click here to read the full article – By Chris Haft of MLB.com

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Red-hot Velez riding hitting streak

GameSetMatch — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 16:16:02 +0000

Eugenio Velez is making the most of his opportunity back in the big leagues in his second stint with the Giants this season.

Entering Friday’s series opener with the Cincinnati Reds, Velez has hit safely in a career-best 12 straight games and manager Bruce Bochy is seeing a different approach and demeanor to the young utility player when he steps on the diamond.

Compared to earlier performances with the Giants this season, Velez is more relaxed at the plate. Instead of being too aggressive, he’s waiting for his pitch and setting the table at the top of the Giants’ order.

Click here to read the full article – By Jason Grodsky of MLB.com

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