Jonathan Sanchez pitched his best game in two months and got an L for it tonight, and he's partially to blame. In the decisive sixth inning he misplayed a sac bunt, and that was the difference. If he got an out on that play, who knows, perhaps the Astros don't score at all. But giving up only two runs in seven innings and taking the loss, that's par for the course for the Giant rotation this year. Welcome to the club, Ol' Dirty.
I'm more inclined tonight to muse upon Billy Sadler, he of the naughty fist-pump. Coming off his emotional outing Saturday, he entered the game in the eighth tonight, his job to keep the game close. You never know, perhaps the Giants could have come back from a one-run deficit for the third straight game. Instead he hung a few curveballs; Matsui nearly hit one out, Wigginton did hit one out, Tejada lined one for a single. Then Sadler walked Berkman before wiggling out of the jam, but it was a microcosm of what ails the talented young pitcher: when he gets hit, he gets hit hard -- only 20 hits in 26 innings this year, but 5 are home runs -- and he walks too many.
But I was glad to hear Bochy let him finish the mess he started. Sadler is auditioning for a prominent set-up role, as Tyler Walker is fading fast and Merkin Valdez is a big health question. It could be Sadler and Wilson next year at the back end of the bullpen, but Billy still has a lot of growing up to do. Might as well learn on the job right now.
PLODAG: Rich Aurilia, with two doubles and a walk. It's not his fault the Giants only scored one run. I'm still lobbying for the Giants to re-sign Richie to a cheap one-year contract for '09 as a utility infielder.
The Upside: Sanchez, for five no-hit innings, but also Sadler. He could have folded his tent after the Wigginton home run and a two-on, one-out situation, but he bounced back to limit the damage.
