After the 7th inning, I had a feeling about this game. It was the kind of feeling a man has one half-second before a broken-bat fly ball soars over Cody Ross's head. The kind of feeling you get when you arrive at the airport 35 minutes before your flight and suddenly, without checking your bags or pockets, you're 75% sure you left your passport at home.
The Giants were up 2-1, but in the bottom of the 7th they wasted a huge chance to extend the lead mainly thanks to one of the worst at-bats I've seen from a Giant this year. It was Pablo Sandoval -- shocking. Men on first and third, no out, and Pablo swung wildly at an off-speed pitch in the dirt, then missed another, then took a called strike three. The Panda looked under attack from poisonous insects: Flailing, flailing, then paralyzed.
Of course Juan Uribe came up next and struck out; though I give him credit for a great battle. Of course the Giants didn't score. Of course Jeremy Affeldt looked great in the top of the 8th getting the first two outs, only to leave a fastball over the middle for Melvin Mora, who managed to sneak an opposite-field fly ball over the right-field wall. When Buster Posey hits one out to right, it's a beautiful approach that leads to a beautiful swing that brings a beautiful result. When Melvin Frickin' Mora does it, it's cruel irony, a swing and a shrug and a sheepish "whaddya know?" as he high-fives his purple pinstriped pals.
But the Torture (TM) stopped right there, and it was great at-bats, mirror images of Sandoval's 7th inning clown show, that did the trick. Andres Torres led off and fell behind quickly against one of the best relievers in the league this year, Matt Belisle. He fought back -- including a foul home run into the water -- to get the count full and finally cranked a 3-2 middle-in mistake over the right field wall. Great at-bat.
With men on first and second and one out, Ross pinch-hit for Schierholtz against the LOOGY Beimel, who desperately wanted Ross to hit a ground ball. Ross refused to offer at four sinkers below the knees. No panic. Bases loaded. Great at-bat.
Buster Posey was next. Beimel started him with a sinker. Borderline, could've been a strike, but ball one. No panic. He was obviously going to wait for a ball up. He got one on the next pitch, a fastball down the middle, and he cranked it off the right-field wall.
Three great at-bats won this game. It's so nice when hitters come to the plate with a clue.
The Giants were up 2-1, but in the bottom of the 7th they wasted a huge chance to extend the lead mainly thanks to one of the worst at-bats I've seen from a Giant this year. It was Pablo Sandoval -- shocking. Men on first and third, no out, and Pablo swung wildly at an off-speed pitch in the dirt, then missed another, then took a called strike three. The Panda looked under attack from poisonous insects: Flailing, flailing, then paralyzed.
Of course Juan Uribe came up next and struck out; though I give him credit for a great battle. Of course the Giants didn't score. Of course Jeremy Affeldt looked great in the top of the 8th getting the first two outs, only to leave a fastball over the middle for Melvin Mora, who managed to sneak an opposite-field fly ball over the right-field wall. When Buster Posey hits one out to right, it's a beautiful approach that leads to a beautiful swing that brings a beautiful result. When Melvin Frickin' Mora does it, it's cruel irony, a swing and a shrug and a sheepish "whaddya know?" as he high-fives his purple pinstriped pals.
But the Torture (TM) stopped right there, and it was great at-bats, mirror images of Sandoval's 7th inning clown show, that did the trick. Andres Torres led off and fell behind quickly against one of the best relievers in the league this year, Matt Belisle. He fought back -- including a foul home run into the water -- to get the count full and finally cranked a 3-2 middle-in mistake over the right field wall. Great at-bat.
With men on first and second and one out, Ross pinch-hit for Schierholtz against the LOOGY Beimel, who desperately wanted Ross to hit a ground ball. Ross refused to offer at four sinkers below the knees. No panic. Bases loaded. Great at-bat.
Buster Posey was next. Beimel started him with a sinker. Borderline, could've been a strike, but ball one. No panic. He was obviously going to wait for a ball up. He got one on the next pitch, a fastball down the middle, and he cranked it off the right-field wall.
Three great at-bats won this game. It's so nice when hitters come to the plate with a clue.
