Rich Aurilia called it a "Huge Win". I will call it "the biggest win in years."
The Giants scratched and clawed their way to a 7-5, 13-inning win against the Dodgers on Sunday, taking the series from their inner-state rivals.
Tim Lincecum allowed four runs to the Dodgers in six innings, yet the Giants hitters, particulary Randy Winn and Emmanuel Burriss, picked up the Cy Young Award winner in come-from-behind fashion.
With the Giants down one in the eigth, Winn, Aaron Rowand and Burriss hit back-to-back-back singles, and Nate Schierholz's sac fly tied the game at 4.
In a similar 12th inning, Burriss slapped a single to left advancing Winn, who singled earlier, to third. Rich Aurilia knocked in Winn with a sac fly and the Giants had the lead.
Brian Wilson served up a home run to Casey Blake in the bottom of 12th, and I began to think that we were going to lose another heartbreaker to the dodgers.
But, the Giants had luck on their side in the 13th. After an infield single by Edgar Renteria and a walk, I repeat, a walk to Pablo Sandoval, Steve Holm hit a grounder to Furcal. Furcal could have turned two, but he misplayed the ball, and the official scoring was an infield hit for Holm.
Winn followed with a two-run single down the left field line, and lo and behold, the Giants were victorious.
Burriss, who I criticized a week ago for poor hitting, is now hitting .287, four points lower than the team leader Bengie Molina. He had four hits in the win and two of the Giants four hits in Saturday's 8-0 loss to the Dodgers.
Winn also had four hits, but he scored four runs and had two RBIs. Essentially, he accounted for six of the Giants seven runs in a game the team had to have.
On Friday, Barry Zito pitched out of numerous jams and recorded a solid 6 innings and one run allowed. The Giants would score three against Dodgers ace Chad Billingsley, and the bullpen held on for a key 3-1 win.
The Giants pitching, sans Sanchez, looks great, but the offense still needs some type of upgrade. The Giants are one of two teams in baseball without a home run from the first base position. Any one is an upgrade to what they have now.
As for the team, well, they are last in baseball in runs scored. Rowand needs to bat higher than .227, Renteria needs to be a steady .300 hitter and the first base position has to help out the offense.
When that happens, the Giants could be very dangerous.
"It's a dangerous means of contending. San Francisco, for instance, has zero home runs out of the first base, second base and leftfield positions, a combined 345 at-bat power outage. The cleanup hitter, Bengie Molina, has an on-base percentage that is worse than his batting average, having failed to draw a walk in his 118 times up this year. The left fielder, Fred Lewis, has two RBIs. And they have become the worst team in the league at slugging and getting on base without a single key position player getting hurt. What you've been watching is the Giants at full strength."
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You write to much you make us look bad
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