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If your resting heart rate is below 100 BPM, you did not watch this game at certain points. The D'Backs fell into some recent bad habits, but unlike the previous two days, found a way to claw out of the doldrums and pull out a win somehow.
This game was noteable for how long it took to conclude due to surplus of innings and a case of OH MY GOD BOCHY WHY ARE YOU CHANGING PITCHERS AGAIN? It was also the debut of Adam Eaton, hitting edition (somewhere, a former Padre and Ranger pitcher weeps). He went 2 for 6 with a double and an infield hit today, and other than an ill advised dive play to start out the game, looked solid in the field. His debut made me scrap a themed-rec idea I had that I am going to do at my next one, so stay tuned! (teaser!)
Also of note? Aaron Hill was thiiiiiis close to a tri-cycle, and Mike Zagurski did an amazing thing. Follow after the jump for the long and winding journey.
The Giants got on the board first in the opening frame via a Marco Scutaro triple that Eaton made a valient dive at, but came up short by about 15-20 feet. Scutaro was then driven in by a Pablo Sandoval grounder. However, the D'Backs would not be denied! Ryan Wheeler got a double off of Vogelsong and with two outs -Adam- Ian Kennedy laced an opposite field single to Hunter Pence to tie the game, who was playing Ian pretty deep, respecting his oppo power.
The tie lived for only a half an inning. In the top of the third Paul Goldschmidt said to Ryan Vogelsong "You're not Timmy, but you'll do" and laced a double over Hunter Pence to score Aaron Hill. A few batters later with the bases loaded, John McDonald got his Mack Daddy costume out and got a grounder through the right side of the infield that scored two. McDonald then got himself caught in a rundown, which ended up in Miguel Montero getting thrown out at the plate because he failed a stealth check against Brandon Belt. Still it made the score 4-1 good guys.
The Giants struck back in their next at-bat. Marco "Son of a Diabetic Goat" Scutaro doubled home Brandon "Demeaning Nickname" Crawford to make the score 4-2. Walks n' errors loaded the bases with two outs for Pence, but he flied out to Upton and no further damage was incurred.
The D'Backs kept it going in the 4th. Eaton got his first career major league hit, a double off the left field wall. Aaron Hill then decided to blast one out to left-center to make the score 6-2. This ended Vogelsong, who only lasted 3 and 1/3rd innings.
Things went calm for a few innings, but then the bottom of the 6th brought much consternation. Pablo Sandoval and Hunter Pence exchanged doubles to bring the Giants within three. Brandon Belt then launched it into that body of water they have there to make it 6-5. Brandon Crawford then laced a double to end Kennedy's evening. The third time through the order, for lack of better term, pwnd Ian. Thankfully, Bruce Bochy thought that using Ryan Theroit as a pinch hitter was a good idea and Brad Bergesen got him to ground out to end that particular threat.
Arizona had a swavory opportunity in the 7th. Jason Kubel drew a leadoff walk. Paul Goldschmidt then proceeded to line one past Scutaro and you're thinking "Yay, two on and no outs.", but you'd be wrong. Kubel did not get a good read off the ball, and took two steps towards first and that was all that was needed for him to get forced out at second. Montero then got a single and it was first and third with one out. It was for naught, as Wheeler hit a high chopper to Crawford. Miggy was obliging and let Crawford tag him and he then just beat Wheeler to first.
So of course the GIants came back to tie it in the bottom of the inning. Angel Pagan got a leadoff double, went to third on a sacrifice bunt, and then scored on a Pablo Sandoval single all off of Bergesen. Buster Posey grounded into a double play, but the D'Backs blew yet another lead in Frisco. Oy vey.
The D'Backs get another good opportunity. They even get a break on an Eaton infield single that Jeremy Affeldt threw away to move John McDonald to third and him to second. They then intentionally walked Aaron Hill, depriving him of a chance for a third cycle this season. That was super lame. They brought in Santiago Casilla to face Upton, and should he fail, Kubel. They both decided that popping out was the cool thing to do, and thus ended that threat.
The Giants would not stop getting dudes on base. Matt Albers came in to pitch the 8th. He walked Pence, and then gave up a hit to Belt that Kubel made a dive at, but it richocheted off of his glove. Gibby then pulled Albers for the immortal Mike Zagurski, and D'Back fans were justifiably nervous. He struck out Joaquin Arias, which was a good start. He then walked Xavier Nady, one of the toughest outs in baseball as shoewizard said. So a bases loaded and one out situation with Zagurski pitching and oh God this is gonna take me back to rehab oh God Hector Sanchez just hit is and WHAT A DOUBLE PLAY I DON'T KNOW HOW NUMBERS HOW? Zagurski had gotten out of that jam with no runs allowed!
What did the D'Backs do with this momentum in the 9th? Go down in order. Go us. Matt Lindstrom came in the bottom of the inning, got the first two hitters out with ease, but went 3-0 on Pablo Sandoval. He was green lit, and smashed one towards that corner they call "Triples alley". It looked like it could have been gone off the bat, but Justin Upton made an AMAZING running catch to get the final out. Nick P had the best comment on the play, that was also some high quality trollin':
Amazing that a "lazy" right fielder can cover so much ground.
— Nick Piecoro (@nickpiecoro) September 5, 2012
The teams exchanged scoreless 10th innings. George Kontos came in for the Giants. He gave up a single to Hill (no cycle, darn.), and got Upton out. Bruce Bochy, in an effort to be more like Tony LaRussa and to make me very very angry, brought in his 10th pitcher of the night Javier Lopez to face Jason Kubel. The Baseball Gods smote him for this annoyance by having Kubel launch a triple, with a lot of help from Hunter Pence doing a foxtrot path towards the ball, that scored Hill. Lopez IBB'd Goldschmidt and then gave up a bloop single to Montero. Nice LOOGY, Bruce. Lopez got Wheeler to fly out and OH LOOK ANOTHER PITCHING CHANGE IT'S NOT LIKE I HAVE ANYTHING TO DO TOMORROW BRUCE. Guillermo Mota came up just to induce a pop up. Wow, totally worth the wait. The TV broadcast noted that the 11 pitchers used by the Giants tied a major league record.
Josh Collmenter made his first appearance since coming off the DL and had pitched a scoreless 10th and went out for the 11th to seal the deal. The first two batters reached based just to add to the excitement, but Josh got the next three guys out and got the win and snapped a three game losing streak for the D'Backs and stopped another potential walk-off loss. Whew.
Clutchasaurus Rex: Mike Zagurski +35.9%
Velocicluctchter: Aaron Hill +28.9%, Jason Kubel +19.3% Josh Collmenter +15.6%
Chokeasaurus: Ian Kennedy -31.5%, Matt Albers -27.5%
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COTN goes to shoewizard, with this 8 rec post on his thoughts on Upton for the rest of the season that I agree with 100%
I really hope Upton finishes strong
It may be a case of too little too late, but a strong finish, with some power perhaps, because
1.) It might ease organization concerns about his chances to rebound and hit with power again, perhaps making them re think their decision to move him in the offseason.
2.) It might bring his trade value back up, so that if/when they DO trade him they might get a little more in a trade
3.) Because I like Justin Upton and want to see him reach true stardom some day. He is a good player. I hope he comes great some day.
E# 16
by shoewizard on Sep 4, 2012 8:06 PM MST reply actions 8 recs
So the Adam Eaton era starts off well. The rubber game of this series starts tomorrow at the same time with Trevor Cahill and Madison Bumgarner doing battle. Be there.
Now excuse me, I'm going to pass out now.