Lincecum hurls 2-hit CG; Yankees and Rangers take 2-0 lead
Atlanta at San Francisco
Be it the fans or the stakes in September and October, Tim Lincecum can't cool down.
Lincecum allowed just 2 hits as the Giants survived the Atlanta Braves with a 1-0 win after a questionable call helped the Giants score their only run. Lincecum pitched a complete game, and he allowed just 2 doubles. Every batter struck out except for Omar Infante.
Infante hit a double against Lincecum to lead off the game, but Jason Heyward flied out to left. Then he got 2 quick strikes to Derrek Lee, threw 3 balls and got the Sacramento native chasing a slider. The exact same happened to Brian McCann, and he chased another slider for strike 3.
Andres Torres led off the bottom half of the inning with a single, but Freddy Sanchez grounded into a double play. Then Aubrey Huff walked, but Buster Posey grounded out to end the inning.
In the second, Tim Lincecum was able to get Atlanta swinging at high pitches to start the inning, and throw a slider that the Braves would swing at. That worked on Alex Gonzalez, Matt Diaz and Brooks Conrad.
Unfortunately for the Giants, Derek Lowe had the same type of success, going 1-2-3. In the 3rd, Rick Ankiel popped out, Derek Lowe didn't swing on an outside fastball for strikeout number 6. Lincecum made a nice play to to retire Omar Infante and the inning was over.
Cody Ross walked to lead off the inning, then he advanced on a sacrifice by Lincecum. After an error by Brooks Conrad runners were on the corners. After a Freddy Sanchez groundout where Ross was retired trying to put a run on the board. Aubrey Huff struck out chasing a slider, and then came the top of the 4th.
Jason Heyward walked, but the Braves couldn't get anything. Derrek Lee popped up to Freddy Sanchez in the shallow outfield for one out. Then came Brian McCann, who hit a deep ball, but Cody Ross took it from the sky just in front of the right field wall. Alex Gonzalez fouled out, and the top half of the inning was over.
Buster Posey lined a single into the gap between shortstop and 3rd base to strat the 4th, but Pat Burrell struck out on the next play. However, Posey decided to steal second, and Gonzalez made a great play to tag him out. Or it seemed like that. The ump called Buster safe, and the Giants caught a break.
After Juan Uribe struck out and Pablo Sandoval walked, Cody Ross hit a ground ball. Omar Infante was prepared to field it, but he couldn't get his glove into the dirt. The ball went into left field and Posey came around to score. It was now up to Lincecum.
Matt Diaz flied out to right field, and then Brooks Conrad went down chasing a change-up. Rick Ankiel hit a hard liner down the first base line, but Huff was there, and he retired Ankiel to end the top half. However, the Giants had no success in the bottom of the inning, and it went into the sixth.
Derek Lowe chased an outside fastball for another strike out, and then Omar Infante flied out to left. Jason Heyward chased a slider again, and the Giants needed just 9 more outs.
Buster Posey hit a triple to kick of the sixth, but Pat Burrell struck out swinging. After Juan Uribe walked Pablo Sandoval grounded out into a double play and the inning was over.
Derrek Lee led off the seventh, but he chased a slider on strike 3. Brian McCann, who had some nice hits but couldn't get on base finally got a hit when he hit a ball into left
center field for a double. After Alex Gonzlaez grounded out Matt Diaz flied out to center to avoid a jam.
After the Giants went 1-2-3 Conrad came up and popped out to Juan Uribe. Rick Ankiel came up and struck out on a fastball, and Eric Hinske came up to pinch-hit. With a 2-2 count Lincecum went for his number 1 pitch, a slider. It worked, as Hinske struck out swinging.
Aubrey Huff reached on an infield single, but he was caught stealing second. After the Giants half was done Bruce Bochy decided to keep Lincecum in. Omar Infante grounded out to start the
inning, then Jason Heyward went down chasing a slider. Derrek Lee came up, and Lincecum racked up 2 quick strikes. With a 1-2 count he threw a perfect fastball on the outside corner. Lee check swung, but it was a called strike anyway.
Lincecum pitched arguably his best game of the year, and 14 strikeouts support the matter. Game 2 is tonight. Matt Cain takes on Tommy Hanson tonight at 6:37 PM PT.
Yankees vs Twins (brief)
Lance Berkman made the most of 2 breaking balls, hitting a home run and an RBI as the Yankees took a 2-0 lead on the Twins. Berkman hit the go-ahead home run on a breaking ball in the fifth, and hit the exact same pitch to the same place, but it didn't have as much distance.
Derek Jeter hit an RBI single after Brett Gardner reached on a bunt. Jeter hit one into shallow right field, and Jason Kubel couldn't catch it. Curtis Granderson hit an RBI single in the ninth.
Andy Pettite allowed just a sacrifice fly and a home run, and he mixed up his pitches and was forcing the Twins to swing. Phil Hughes starts game 3 against Brian Duensing.
Texas at Tampa Bay (brief)
A questionable check swing call had a key impact on the game, as Michael Young hit a homer after a check swing call gave Texas 3 extra runs in a 6-0 win over Tampa Bay. Ian Kinsler also homered.
C.J Wilson pitched 6.1 innings allowing just 2 hits, and the bullpen finished the game. Game 3 is on Saturday, where Colby Lewis faces Matt Garza in Texas. The Rangers are just one win away from the ALDS.
Be it the fans or the stakes in September and October, Tim Lincecum can't cool down.
Lincecum allowed just 2 hits as the Giants survived the Atlanta Braves with a 1-0 win after a questionable call helped the Giants score their only run. Lincecum pitched a complete game, and he allowed just 2 doubles. Every batter struck out except for Omar Infante.
Infante hit a double against Lincecum to lead off the game, but Jason Heyward flied out to left. Then he got 2 quick strikes to Derrek Lee, threw 3 balls and got the Sacramento native chasing a slider. The exact same happened to Brian McCann, and he chased another slider for strike 3.
Andres Torres led off the bottom half of the inning with a single, but Freddy Sanchez grounded into a double play. Then Aubrey Huff walked, but Buster Posey grounded out to end the inning.
In the second, Tim Lincecum was able to get Atlanta swinging at high pitches to start the inning, and throw a slider that the Braves would swing at. That worked on Alex Gonzalez, Matt Diaz and Brooks Conrad.
Unfortunately for the Giants, Derek Lowe had the same type of success, going 1-2-3. In the 3rd, Rick Ankiel popped out, Derek Lowe didn't swing on an outside fastball for strikeout number 6. Lincecum made a nice play to to retire Omar Infante and the inning was over.
Cody Ross walked to lead off the inning, then he advanced on a sacrifice by Lincecum. After an error by Brooks Conrad runners were on the corners. After a Freddy Sanchez groundout where Ross was retired trying to put a run on the board. Aubrey Huff struck out chasing a slider, and then came the top of the 4th.
Jason Heyward walked, but the Braves couldn't get anything. Derrek Lee popped up to Freddy Sanchez in the shallow outfield for one out. Then came Brian McCann, who hit a deep ball, but Cody Ross took it from the sky just in front of the right field wall. Alex Gonzalez fouled out, and the top half of the inning was over.
Buster Posey lined a single into the gap between shortstop and 3rd base to strat the 4th, but Pat Burrell struck out on the next play. However, Posey decided to steal second, and Gonzalez made a great play to tag him out. Or it seemed like that. The ump called Buster safe, and the Giants caught a break.
After Juan Uribe struck out and Pablo Sandoval walked, Cody Ross hit a ground ball. Omar Infante was prepared to field it, but he couldn't get his glove into the dirt. The ball went into left field and Posey came around to score. It was now up to Lincecum.
Matt Diaz flied out to right field, and then Brooks Conrad went down chasing a change-up. Rick Ankiel hit a hard liner down the first base line, but Huff was there, and he retired Ankiel to end the top half. However, the Giants had no success in the bottom of the inning, and it went into the sixth.
Derek Lowe chased an outside fastball for another strike out, and then Omar Infante flied out to left. Jason Heyward chased a slider again, and the Giants needed just 9 more outs.
Buster Posey hit a triple to kick of the sixth, but Pat Burrell struck out swinging. After Juan Uribe walked Pablo Sandoval grounded out into a double play and the inning was over.
Derrek Lee led off the seventh, but he chased a slider on strike 3. Brian McCann, who had some nice hits but couldn't get on base finally got a hit when he hit a ball into left
center field for a double. After Alex Gonzlaez grounded out Matt Diaz flied out to center to avoid a jam.
After the Giants went 1-2-3 Conrad came up and popped out to Juan Uribe. Rick Ankiel came up and struck out on a fastball, and Eric Hinske came up to pinch-hit. With a 2-2 count Lincecum went for his number 1 pitch, a slider. It worked, as Hinske struck out swinging.
Aubrey Huff reached on an infield single, but he was caught stealing second. After the Giants half was done Bruce Bochy decided to keep Lincecum in. Omar Infante grounded out to start the
inning, then Jason Heyward went down chasing a slider. Derrek Lee came up, and Lincecum racked up 2 quick strikes. With a 1-2 count he threw a perfect fastball on the outside corner. Lee check swung, but it was a called strike anyway.
Lincecum pitched arguably his best game of the year, and 14 strikeouts support the matter. Game 2 is tonight. Matt Cain takes on Tommy Hanson tonight at 6:37 PM PT.
Yankees vs Twins (brief)
Lance Berkman made the most of 2 breaking balls, hitting a home run and an RBI as the Yankees took a 2-0 lead on the Twins. Berkman hit the go-ahead home run on a breaking ball in the fifth, and hit the exact same pitch to the same place, but it didn't have as much distance.
Derek Jeter hit an RBI single after Brett Gardner reached on a bunt. Jeter hit one into shallow right field, and Jason Kubel couldn't catch it. Curtis Granderson hit an RBI single in the ninth.
Andy Pettite allowed just a sacrifice fly and a home run, and he mixed up his pitches and was forcing the Twins to swing. Phil Hughes starts game 3 against Brian Duensing.
Texas at Tampa Bay (brief)
A questionable check swing call had a key impact on the game, as Michael Young hit a homer after a check swing call gave Texas 3 extra runs in a 6-0 win over Tampa Bay. Ian Kinsler also homered.
C.J Wilson pitched 6.1 innings allowing just 2 hits, and the bullpen finished the game. Game 3 is on Saturday, where Colby Lewis faces Matt Garza in Texas. The Rangers are just one win away from the ALDS.
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