[新聞] Giants drop D-backs to second with rout
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Giants drop D-backs to second with rout
By Chris Haft / MLB.com | 8/3/2011 8:58 PM ET
SAN FRANCISCO -- The accomplishments were unprecedented. The potential seemed
almost limitless.
The subject was the Giants' offense, and the source was Carlos Beltran.
Beltran was in the middle of the Giants' run production Wednesday during
their critical 8-1 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks. San Francisco's
prized Trade Deadline acquisition collected three hits, leading a 12-hit
output that complemented another solid effort from Ryan Vogelsong.
Giants manager Bruce Bochy often changes into a T-shirt or sweatshirt for his
postgame address. But this time, he still wore his full uniform as he
addressed reporters, perhaps because he wanted to cling to this triumph just
a little longer.
"This, to me, probably was our biggest game to this point of the season,"
Bochy said.
In fact, this represented more than just a lone victory.
The outcome ended the Giants' five-game losing streak, which matched a season
high, and enabled them to reclaim undisputed possession of first place in the
National League West, a game ahead of Arizona. Expect the teams to engage in
a spirited 51-game sprint to the finish.
"You'd like to think so," Arizona center fielder Chris Young said. "We're
definitely not backing down from any challenges. We have a great group of
guys on this squad. I think we're in the right position. We're right where we
need to be right now."
This was not only the most fruitful game for Beltran and his relatively new
mates since the Trade Deadline reshaped the Giants' lineup, but it also was a
statistically significant one for the team as a whole.
San Francisco, which entered Wednesday tied with San Diego for last in the
National League in scoring, exceeded six runs for the first time this season
at home. It was the Giants' 53rd date of the season at AT&T Park.
The Giants also ended a skid in which they scored four runs or fewer in 12
consecutive games. Their eight-run total was their highest in any game since
they administered a 15-2 drubbing at Detroit on July 2.
"My hope is that a game like today will get things clicking," Bochy said.
It should, if Beltran continues to make contact.
His first hit, a sharp single to left-center field, drove in the second run
in a four-run third inning off Arizona starter Jason Marquis (8-6), who
previously has tormented the Giants. Beltran soon scored the inning's final
run on Cody Ross' fielder's-choice grounder.
Beltran singled again in the fifth inning and scored as San Francisco added
four runs. Orlando Cabrera and Ross, who drove in three runs apiece, each
stroked two-run doubles.
That finished the Giants' scoring, though Beltran provided one more
electrifying moment when he tripled to right-center field in the sixth.
"I feel good at the plate," said Beltran, who hiked his batting average as a
Giant to .267 (8-for-30). "I felt like I was seeing the ball good and letting
the ball get deep. I was getting good contact. But this is about results. You
can hit the ball hard four times, and if you don't get any results, then you
haven't done anything to help the team win ballgames or score runs."
Every position player except for catcher Eli Whiteside collected at least one
hit. Pablo Sandoval recorded another multihit game and is batting .400
(12-for-30) since Beltran's arrival. Trade Deadline pickups Beltran, Cabrera
and Jeff Keppinger combined to go 6-for-14 with four runs scored and four
RBIs.
Beltran believes that the Giants can repeat this regularly.
"I think we have good hitters in our lineup," he said. "I think sometimes we
get caught up in trying to do too much, and that happens to every single
team. Today was a good example. Take the walk, try to hit the ball, take
advantage of going from first to third, put yourself in position where the
next guy can drive you in. Today was a great game. We scored runs, we pitched
well, we played good defense."
Vogelsong (9-1) took care of most of the pitching. The right-hander, who
leads the NL with a 2.19 ERA, blanked Arizona on two hits for six innings but
vanished in the seventh after yielding consecutive hits to the D-backs' 7-8-9
hitters, including opposing pitcher Zach Duke's RBI single. Right-hander
Guillermo Mota took over and struck out the side.
Vogelsong insisted that he didn't feel burdened by trying to end the Giants'
losing streak and keep them from slipping behind Arizona into second place.
"I just wanted to have a good start," Vogelsong said. "It's a little too
early to start pushing the panic button. We have a lot of games left. At the
same time, we needed to break this losing streak."
Chris Haft 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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