Rangers at Giants (Game 2)
Matt Cain knows exactly what to do in the playoffs. The kid with a 2-0 record and 21.1 straight scoreless innings knows a lot about what to do. And he put that in play.
And in the later innings, so did the offense.
Cain pitched 7.2 shutout innings, San Francisco scored 7 runs in the eighth inning as the Giants beat Texas 9-0 in a game that looked like a pitcher's duel. For 6 innings, the only score was a homer by Edgar Renteria.
In the first, it seemed obvious that Matt Cain would have a good day. He was placing pitches perfectly on the inside corner, not giving the Rangers anything good to hit. However, the Giants offense wasn't coming through.
After a strikeout on a change-up, Cain kept going inside. It worked, as the Rangers were popping up and grounding out a lot. Texas wouldn't be able to get a runner on until the 3rd, and no runner got in scoring position until the fifth.
In the fifth, Matt Cain left one right over the plate. Ian Kinsler hit it high, and it was deep. It looked like a home run, but it bounced off of the corner of the wall. It wasn't a home run, and Kinsler only got a double.
And that would prove to be costly, for David Murphy lined out, Matt Treanor grounded out, and after Mitch Moreland was intentionally walked, the pitcher, C.J Wilson came up. Aubrey Huff fielded a bouncing ball to first, and he stepped on the base for the out.
The bottom of the fifth looked like another terrible inning for San Francisco, but it wasn't. With no one on and 1 strike, C.J Wilson placed a cut fastball high. Renteria swung, and blasted the ball into the seats. The Giants had a 1-0 lead, all they would need.
In the sixth, Matt Cain allowed 2 singles and a wild pitch. With Nelson Cruz up, the Rangers had a chance to take a 3-1 lead. But they blew it, as Cruz missed a curveball. Then Ian Kinsler flied out on a pitch outside, and the Giants were in a good position.
After 6.2 innings, Cain faced Matt Treanor. Treanor hit a slow bouncer to third, but a great play by Juan Uribe ended the inning. In the bottom of the inning Cody Ross walked, then Aubrey Huff advanced Ross with a grounder. After him Juan Uribe perfectly placed a single on the outside corner, and Ross scored to make it 2-0.
In the eighth, with 1 out, Elvis Andrus walked, and he stole second. But Cain got Michael Young to fly out to right, and then the Giants brought in lefty Javier Lopez to face Josh Hamilton. Lopez got Hamilton to fly out to center, ending the inning.
In the bottom of the eighth, after 2 straight outs, Buster Posey singled on an outside change-up. Posey got his second hit of the series, but little did he know that the hit would start something big.
2 straight walks brought up Aubrey Huff, and Huff walked on a high fastball. Posey scored, and Juan Uribe came up. With a 3-2 count Uribe walked on a pitch low, and the Giants took a 4-0 lead. Edgar Renteria got to a 3-2 count, then he knocked in 2 runs with a single into the hole at shortstop. San Francisco led 6-0.
Pinch-hitter Aaron Rowand came up, and with Texas thinking; end of long inning, Rowand thought different. Rowand hit a pitch high and outside into Triples Alley for a 2 run triple, and then he scored when Andres Torres hit a breaking ball into left for a double. After 8 SF led 9-0.
In the ninth, with a 9-0 lead, the Giants decided to go for middle reliever Guillermo Mota. Mota came through, using his curveball to avoid any hits. Jeff Francouer came in to pinch-hit for Matt Treanor, and he flied out to Nate Schierholtz to end the game.
Game 3 is Saturday in Texas, with Jonathan Sanchez facing Colby Lewis.
And in the later innings, so did the offense.
Cain pitched 7.2 shutout innings, San Francisco scored 7 runs in the eighth inning as the Giants beat Texas 9-0 in a game that looked like a pitcher's duel. For 6 innings, the only score was a homer by Edgar Renteria.
In the first, it seemed obvious that Matt Cain would have a good day. He was placing pitches perfectly on the inside corner, not giving the Rangers anything good to hit. However, the Giants offense wasn't coming through.
After a strikeout on a change-up, Cain kept going inside. It worked, as the Rangers were popping up and grounding out a lot. Texas wouldn't be able to get a runner on until the 3rd, and no runner got in scoring position until the fifth.
In the fifth, Matt Cain left one right over the plate. Ian Kinsler hit it high, and it was deep. It looked like a home run, but it bounced off of the corner of the wall. It wasn't a home run, and Kinsler only got a double.
And that would prove to be costly, for David Murphy lined out, Matt Treanor grounded out, and after Mitch Moreland was intentionally walked, the pitcher, C.J Wilson came up. Aubrey Huff fielded a bouncing ball to first, and he stepped on the base for the out.
The bottom of the fifth looked like another terrible inning for San Francisco, but it wasn't. With no one on and 1 strike, C.J Wilson placed a cut fastball high. Renteria swung, and blasted the ball into the seats. The Giants had a 1-0 lead, all they would need.
In the sixth, Matt Cain allowed 2 singles and a wild pitch. With Nelson Cruz up, the Rangers had a chance to take a 3-1 lead. But they blew it, as Cruz missed a curveball. Then Ian Kinsler flied out on a pitch outside, and the Giants were in a good position.
After 6.2 innings, Cain faced Matt Treanor. Treanor hit a slow bouncer to third, but a great play by Juan Uribe ended the inning. In the bottom of the inning Cody Ross walked, then Aubrey Huff advanced Ross with a grounder. After him Juan Uribe perfectly placed a single on the outside corner, and Ross scored to make it 2-0.
In the eighth, with 1 out, Elvis Andrus walked, and he stole second. But Cain got Michael Young to fly out to right, and then the Giants brought in lefty Javier Lopez to face Josh Hamilton. Lopez got Hamilton to fly out to center, ending the inning.
In the bottom of the eighth, after 2 straight outs, Buster Posey singled on an outside change-up. Posey got his second hit of the series, but little did he know that the hit would start something big.
2 straight walks brought up Aubrey Huff, and Huff walked on a high fastball. Posey scored, and Juan Uribe came up. With a 3-2 count Uribe walked on a pitch low, and the Giants took a 4-0 lead. Edgar Renteria got to a 3-2 count, then he knocked in 2 runs with a single into the hole at shortstop. San Francisco led 6-0.
Pinch-hitter Aaron Rowand came up, and with Texas thinking; end of long inning, Rowand thought different. Rowand hit a pitch high and outside into Triples Alley for a 2 run triple, and then he scored when Andres Torres hit a breaking ball into left for a double. After 8 SF led 9-0.
In the ninth, with a 9-0 lead, the Giants decided to go for middle reliever Guillermo Mota. Mota came through, using his curveball to avoid any hits. Jeff Francouer came in to pinch-hit for Matt Treanor, and he flied out to Nate Schierholtz to end the game.
Game 3 is Saturday in Texas, with Jonathan Sanchez facing Colby Lewis.
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