Giants overcome D-Backs' surge
04/18/2006 3:35 AM ET
Giants overcome D-Backs' surge
Sweeney's homer ties game; Finley's sac fly the difference
By Rich Draper / MLB.com
PHOENIX -- Detractors came out of the woodwork over the offseason, declaring
Giants general manager Brian Sabean insane for bringing aboard "castoff"
baseball detritus like 41-year-old Steve Finley and bench player Mark Sweeney,
who's never been an everyday player.
Certifiably nuts.
Oh yeah. And reliever Tim Worrell with his 38-year-old arm -- you can throw
him into the geriatric mix, too.
The Giants could certainly have a fighting chance to recapture the National
League West title, but only if these guys don't seize up with rheumatoid
arthritis first or choke on their false teeth.
Yet as San Francisco heads into Tuesday night's second game of a four-game
series against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field, glowing from a 10-9
victory in the opener, the club not only leads the West with an 8-4 record but
continues to win without some of their big guns firing.
Barry Bonds is hitting a lusty .192, Ray Durham merely .150, and veteran
catcher Mike Matheny is struggling offensively at .171.
But all the above-named players -- along with reliever Steve Kline and Randy
Winn -- were responsible for Monday's bizarre but ultimately astounding
victory over the D-Backs despite holding a 7-0 early lead, seeing it dissolve
into a 9-7 Arizona lead, then swing the other way in dramatic fashion.
Sweeney, one of the game's best-ever pinch-hitters, smoked a 391-foot, two-run
homer in the eighth inning off Arizona reliever Jose Valverde, who entered
the game moments earlier to a flaming video.
But Valverde flamed out, with Sweeney's bomb knotting the game, suddenly
stunning the surging D-Backs and setting up Finley's game-sealing sacrifice
fly in the ninth.
"That was big for us in general," said Sweeney, now batting .280 overall with
five RBIs. "Not just me. It was huge to come back and win that game -- and the
way we did it brings a lot to this clubhouse and means a lot.
"It felt good, and so many guys had great performances tonight -- there were a
lot of positives we took out of that game," said Sweeney, who said he was
looking for a fastball on the critical pitch.
That's where Bonds came into play. His mere presence always has an impact.
"I was looking for a zone, and obviously with Barry behind me ... he makes us
better -- it's a pretty good situation to have," said Sweeney, who also
doubled in the Giants' initial run in the first inning.
Worrell was let go by the Diamondbacks after last season -- although he
finished strong -- and he has been a literal bullpen savior for the Giants as
he earned his league-leading sixth save and lowered his ERA to 1.23 by
retiring the side in the ninth.
"They're good games when you come back like that," said Worrell. "Our offense
came back with big hits, and guys are trying to figure out how to get it done,
even when they're struggling a bit. That's unselfish play."
Matheny fits into that category, and it was his surprising ninth-inning bunt
single that kept the inning alive and put Durham on third. Finley then skied
his run-scoring fly for the victory.
Despite a slow start, Winn has been hot lately, batting .432 over his last 10
games with two homers and eight RBIs. He went 4-for-6 Monday, setting an early
tone with a three-run triple in the third inning.
"We went from way up to thinking we're going to cruise, to them battling and
fighting back, and then we have to pull out a come-from-behind win -- it was
like a roller coaster," said Winn, who also credited Sweeney with keying the
victory.
"That was huge," he said. "We had been scuffling, trying to get baserunners
and score runs, and they bring their closer in in the eighth. That's just huge
for a guy to step up and hit a two-run homer."
All but lost in the aftermath was Kline's superb job in a scoreless eighth,
earning his first win of the year.
"It was good for the guys to come back, especially with the bullpen in
shambles," said Kline. Reliever Tyler Walker had a poor outing, blowing his
second save with a four-run sixth.
"But we did a good job, battling back. That's why you're never out of a game
and play every inning hard," said Kline.
San Francisco starter Jeff Fassero lasted only four-plus innings, giving up a
run in the fourth and three in the fifth on a pinch-hit homer by Andy Green
and a two-run shot by Eric Byrnes.
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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