[新聞] Giants deliver extra-special home-opener win
http://0rz.tw/htpoa
Giants deliver extra-special home-opener win
By Chris Haft / MLB.com | 4/9/2011 12:17 AM
SAN FRANCISCO -- The Giants didn't just celebrate last year's success Friday.
They perpetuated it.
Renowned for surviving taut, tense games throughout their World
Series-winning season, the Giants treated a sellout crowd at their home
opener to yet another thriller. Aaron Rowand's tiebreaking RBI single with
two outs in the 12th inning enabled San Francisco to outlast the St. Louis
Cardinals, 5-4.
"It's obvious we're not retiring 'torture,'" manager Bruce Bochy said after
his Giants won their third consecutive home opener, including their second in
a row delivered by Rowand.
The Giants entered the eighth inning with a 3-1 lead before Ryan Theriot took
over. He singled and scored in the eighth inning before victimizing Giants
closer Brian Wilson with a two-run single to left field in the ninth to put
St. Louis ahead.
"My ERA went to a billion but I don't really care," said Wilson, whose ERA is
actually 33.75. "We won and ultimately that's what matters."
The Giants roused themselves in their half of the ninth exactly as the
Cardinals did, forcing extra innings after having two outs with nobody on
base. Rowand started that uprising off St. Louis closer Ryan Franklin with a
single up the middle and ultimately scored on Pablo Sandoval's third single
of the game.
"This shows we still have that battle mentality," said Giants left-hander Dan
Runzler (1-1), who earned the decision by pitching a perfect 12th. "We never
stop playing every out, every pitch."
That became clear as the Giants maintained constant pressure. Andres Torres
doubled to open the 11th and advanced to third base on a wild pitch. That
prompted Cardinals manager Tony La Russa to employ a five-man infield, with
left fielder Allen Craig stationed at third base and the rest of the existing
infielders stationed within a couple of steps of each other. The ploy worked.
After Freddy Sanchez struck out, Rowand smashed a grounder that Craig
smothered with a backhanded attempt, leading to a rundown that erased Torres.
With Rowand on second, St. Louis intentionally walked Buster Posey and
Sandoval. That loaded the bases but also set up a force at any base, which
proved moot as pinch-hitter Mark DeRosa struck out looking.
Then came the 12th. St. Louis barely missed turning an inning-ending double
play when Nate Schierholtz hustled up the first-base line to beat Theriot's
relay. Torres topped a roller halfway toward first base. Cardinals
left-hander Brian Tallet (0-1) fielded the ball and threw to first base in
time to retire Torres, but the toss grazed Albert Pujols' glove instead of
lodging in it. Schierholtz reached third and Torres was safe at first on the
error.
"That ball sank," Pujols said, "but that's a ball that you make that throw
100 times and I'm going to catch the ball probably about 99 or 98 times. The
runner coming behind, I don't want to [make] an excuse. It hit the tip of my
glove. That's it. I should have caught it."
St. Louis again filled the bases to set up a force play everywhere, this time
by intentionally walking Sanchez. Rowand ricocheted a 1-0 pitch off the base
of the left-center-field wall with Craig and center fielder Colby Rasmus in
desperate pursuit.
Asked if he thought he had homered, Rowand replied, "No. I know this place.
I've given up on thinking that balls I hit good in this ballpark are going to
leave."
Rather, Rowand was staring at Rasmus, who he thought had a better chance than
Craig at reaching the ball.
"It was a matter of whether [Rasmus] was going to catch it or not," Rowand
said. "Hopefully they don't catch it and you're happy."
Pure happiness has eluded Rowand, who lost his starting job in the middle of
last season and remains a reserve. But his .600 batting average (6-for-10)
has commanded attention.
"He's doing all he can to force the issue," Bochy said. "He's swung the bat
well when he's been in there. I thought we had the right guy up there."
Rowand happened to beat out an infield single in the 13th inning of last
year's home opener to drive in Juan Uribe and beat Atlanta, also by a 5-4
score. That didn't enter his mind in this game.
"You've got to live in the moment, man," Rowand said.
The afternoon included stirring moments during a 40-minute pregame ceremony,
which culminated with the World Series banner being hoisted in the
right-center-field flag court. That made the Giants' day an emotional one
under any circumstance. The festivities, combined with the excruciating,
exhilarating game, left the Giants needing a break -- particularly with
Saturday's World Series ring ceremony scheduled.
"I think everybody's thankful that tomorrow's a night game and we can rest a
little bit," left-hander Javier Lopez said.
Chris Haft is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the
approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
--
※ 發信站: 批踢踢實業坊(ptt.cc)
◆ From: 140.113.63.48
SFGiants 近期熱門文章
PTT體育區 即時熱門文章