[新聞] Cain's strong start leads Giants to …
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Cain's strong start leads Giants to sweep
By Adam Berry / MLB.com | 5/12/2011 6:35 PM ET
SAN FRANCISCO -- As impressive as Matt Cain was on the mound in Thursday's
3-2 Giants victory, efficiently mowing down the D-backs all afternoon, his
signature moment may have come at the plate.
A throw from Arizona right-hander Daniel Hudson bounced off Cain's pitching
hand and up toward his face as he was looking to drop a sacrifice bunt. Cain
fell awkwardly to the ground, and manager Bruce Bochy and head athletic
trainer Dave Groeschner came out to look at his injured hand. Cain admitted
after the game that his hand was the only thing that prevented the ball from
hitting him in the face.
But Cain persisted at the plate just as he did on the mound, successfully
executing the bunt and advancing catcher Eli Whiteside to third base, setting
up two runs that would give the Giants a three-run lead in the bottom of the
seventh inning.
Cain tipped his hat to the raucous, standing crowd as he left the field after
7 2/3 innings, having surrendered two runs on seven hits and one walk while
striking out seven.
"He's so tough. He could have come out of that game, but he wanted to stay
in," Bochy said. "He's just grown so much as a player, a pitcher. ... He just
kept going out there and throwing out zeros. We're lucky to have him."
The normally reliable Giants bullpen made things interesting in the eighth
inning, allowing the D-backs to cut the deficit to one on two inherited
runners. But San Francisco (21-16) held on to win and finished the series
sweep of Arizona (15-21) in front of the team's 15th straight sellout crowd
to start the season at AT&T Park, wrapping up a perfect 6-0 homestand that
included five one-run victories.
"When you've done it a few times, the confidence grows to do it again," Bochy
said. "It's nice to get the momentum back and mojo back as we hit the road."
The Giants struck first in the bottom of the second, when Cody Ross led off
with a double to deep left field. Right fielder Nate Schierholtz then started
off a big day at the plate, knocking a ground-ball single to center field and
scoring Ross to put the Giants up, 1-0.
With five everyday outfielders competing for three starting spots, it might
be easy to get lost in the shuffle. But Schierholtz made sure he stood out
Thursday.
The next inning, he disrupted one of the D-backs' best scoring opportunities
of the day before it could truly get started. Arizona center fielder Gerardo
Parra ripped a two-out pitch to the right-field wall, but Schierholtz ran it
down and unleashed a rocket to shortstop Miguel Tejada, who tagged Parra at
second to end the inning -- a play Bochy described as "as good as any I've
seen."
Admittedly playing pressure-free with his first hit out of the way,
Schierholtz added another hit in the bottom of the sixth by hustling to first
on an infield single, beating the throw from D-backs third baseman Ryan
Roberts. He then stole second and displayed some heads-up baserunning, taking
third when Miguel Montero's throw flew wide of second base. Schierholtz
picked up his third hit of the game -- his first three-hit game since April 9
-- on a leadoff double to center field in the eighth.
"Anytime I can get an opportunity to play and help contribute to a win,
that's my goal every day whether it's coming off the bench or starting,"
Schierholtz said. "All I can do is work hard and have a positive attitude
regardless of whether I'm starting or pinch-hitting in the ninth or coming in
for defense."
The teams traded zeros for much of the game until Whiteside slammed a double
into center field in the seventh, scoring on the at-bat after Cain's
sacrifice bunt when Andres Torres smacked an RBI double down the right-field
line. Torres moved to third on a groundout by Freddy Sanchez and came home
when Aubrey Huff dropped a single into right field, putting the Giants ahead,
3-0.
Cain picked up two quick outs in the eighth, but the top of the D-backs'
order finally got to the right-hander. Cain gave up consecutive singles to
Parra and Xavier Nady. Jeremy Affeldt came on in relief of Cain, allowing a
run-scoring single to Stephen Drew, and Ramon Ramirez surrendered an RBI
single to Justin Upton one at-bat later. Ramirez finally ended the threat,
forcing Russell Branyan to ground out to second base.
"Those guys are world champions, and they showed it in this series," D-backs
manager Kirk Gibson said. "I feel like we got outplayed this series."
Javier Lopez came in to close out the game in the ninth, picking up his
fourth career save -- his first since Sept. 12, 2006 -- and crossing his arms
after the final out, paying homage to Brian Wilson's usual postgame
celebration.
"Since we've gotten him, what a job he's done. We had the right guy out there
with Wilson down today," said Bochy, who wanted to rest Wilson after the
closer had pitched in five straight games. "He's got such a great focus out
there, and he's got such a positive attitude, and he didn't put pressure on
himself because it's the ninth inning. That's not easy to do, but he did a
great job of keeping his poise out there."
Adam Berry is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject
to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
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