Giants cut deficit to four games
Giants cut deficit to four games
Plenty of heroes in game-winning, ninth-inning rally
By Rich Draper / MLB.com
DENVER -- Prior to Sunday's game, Giants outfielder Moises Alou told his
father, manager Felipe Alou, his leg was hurting and to make sure he didn't
have to run too much.
"You can't," laughed Felipe Alou, "believe everything you hear."
That's because the 39-year-old Moises Alou raced around the infield like the
stallion tattooed on his left biceps, slamming two triples, hitting a single
and stealing the 100th base of his career in San Francisco's 6-2 victory over
the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field.
Give the man some oxygen.
Alou was only one of multiple heroes in the contest that kept the Giants'
National League West title hopes alive as they head to San Diego for a crucial
four-game series starting Monday night that could decide the lone divisional
survivor.
San Francisco is now only four games back of the Friars.
Randy Winn homered to lead off Sunday's contest -- his eighth career such
blast -- and kick-started the club's four-run ninth with his second single.
The Bay Area native is fifth in the league with a .406 average in September.
Kudos, too, went to rookie starter Matt Cain, who allowed only one run over
six three-hit innings; journeyman Julio Ramirez, whose first hit as a Giant
and initial knock since 2002 proved the game-winning safety; and reliever
Scott Eyre, who, with the Rockies threatening in the seventh inning, struck
out Cory Sullivan and the always-dangerous Todd Helton.
"I woke up a little sore with my calf and I [asked] my dad if he can give me
a break, because I wasn't feeling good," said Alou. "But I hit a triple right
away, and that got the leg loose and I felt great.
"Everybody did a great job today," said Felipe Alou. "We won as a team and
that's all that matters."
As for his second triple, Moises Alou raced all-out around the bags, finally
sliding headfirst into third gasping for breath.
"Oh my God, yeah," he said. "It takes more than three days to get used to the
oxygen here."
But Alou is used to breathing the rarified air of playoff contention, and he's
delighted the Giants are still in the hunt heading into Padres land.
"I've been lucky or blessed to be part of good teams and to play so many
meaningful games in September," he said.
For the 20-year-old Cain, he's sniffing the sweet aroma of Major League
contention for the first time, yet he's already shown he belongs at this level
. His ERA is a super 2.02 after six games and 40 innings despite the
right-hander's mere 2-1 record.
His big-league debut was against the Rockies on Aug. 29, when the admittedly
excited kid took a 2-1 loss over five innings.
The second time around, Cain showed he's mastering the art of adjusting to
hitters and flashing breaking balls, yet he has even surprised himself with
his sensational outings.
"You plan on doing well, but it's kind of amazing how I've pitched so far,"
said Cain. "It's been better than I expected. There's still so much to learn,
changing stuff up because guys are starting to read you."
Cain admitted it was a test facing the Rockies for the second time. In his
debut, opposing skipper Clint Hurdle noted his guys only swung and missed five
times the entire game.
This time, four Rockies batters struck out.
"The first start, I was overthrowing my breaking balls, and today, I could
throw something offspeed," said Cain.
Manager Alou was, again, bubbled with enthusiasm about the youngster's talent,
saying Cain "graduated today by throwing the way he did in this yard. He had
a good breaking ball -- it's a famous place for hanging breaking balls. This
kid is legitimate -- his personality on the mound and the arm."
Ramirez last got a big-league hit in September 2002 vs. Seattle while playing
for the Angels, but he felt comfortable in the ninth Sunday with the score
knotted at 2.
The bunt sign was on, then taken off. Ramirez ripped a hot grounder up the
middle for the game-leading blow, following by Alou's three-bagger and a sac
fly from Ray Durham.
"I was just trying to make contact," he said. "I wasn't thinking of anything
but to make contact. I had to put a good swing on the ball, and if I did, it
would go somewhere."
Eyre tied his career high with his 83rd appearance of the season, but said his
arm felt great.
He felt even better, though, when he kayoed Helton on a fastball.
"I did my job good today," said Eyre. "I'm not gonna lie, though, I was pretty
excited to strike out Todd. He's one of the best hitters in the game. It was
2-2 and I told [catcher Yamid] Haad I wasn't going to get beat with a slider."
Rich Draper is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the
approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
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