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BATS WAKE UP IN PITTSBURGH

The Giants turned in their best offensive performance of the young 2007 season on Friday night scoring 8 runs in Pittsburgh and beating the Pirates ace Zach Duke. The 3 run home run by Chris Duffy late made the score a lot closer than the game was. After a pathetic series in San Diego in which the Giants scored in only 1 game out of 3, they needed to get something going early in Pittsburgh and they did. Barry Bonds looked a lot better Friday as well as he turned in his first multi home run game of the year going 3-3 with 2 jacks and 4 RBI. When Bonds is swinging it like he did on Friday, it usually means good things for the Giants. Bonds was hitting .192 with 1 homer and 4 rbi heading into the game Friday, and left in the 4th inning with 3 home runs and 8 RBI's on the season. He showed that he is still capable of having what other players would call a good week, in one night. Besides the solid offensive output, Russ Ortiz turned in a very solid performance, and was one strike away from his first complete game since 2004. He did give up a 3 run home run in the ninth, but with the game already out of reach, and Ortiz collected his first major league win since August 2005. Ortiz was in the zone all night, striking out 7 and only walking 1. And to still think the D-Backs are paying this guy millions to pitch for the Giants just makes it all that much sweeter.

The Giants looked good in all facets of the game Friday, even the coaching staff. Although I have questioned some of Bruce Bochy's decisions early on, I do like the confidence he shows in his players, and I like how he's not afraid to mix things up if they aren't going well. Todd Linden was moved up into the #2 spot Friday, and the move payed off in the Giants 5 run first inning. I would have liked to see Bonds get 1 more at bat to try and hit his 3rd home run of the night, but I understand why Bochy brought him out in the 4th inning. With that cold weather in the Pittsburgh right now, and the game out of reach, I have no problem resting Bonds the second half of the game. Plus, I like the confidence he showed in Ortiz in letting him stay out that extra batter in effort to earn a complete game. He knew how much this game meant to Ortiz, and he did everything he could without Overall, it was a very refreshing victory for the Giants. Sure they are now only 3-7, but for the first time in 2007, the Giants looked like a good baseball team.

Comments

Anonymous said…
It will be a sad day in a few months when Barry Bonds sets the reocrd for career home runs. A truly sad day in the history of baseball.
10:14 PM
Trevor Cole said…
Too many people are on the "Hate Barry Bonds" bandwagon just cause it's the popular thing to do, it's ridiculous. You have to respect what this guy is doing at age 43. It may be a sad day for you, but not for baseball.
10:23 PM
Anonymous said…
Agreed. I've been trying to get people to explain why Barry Bonds is Satan, and the best replies I get are "Just look at him!" and "Steroids made him hit every single HR ever." Right, it's not like Bonds won 3 MVPs in the early '90s and is the greatest player ever. I'm sure talent has nothing to do with the fact he has hit 737 HRs. Oh, and where is the outrage over pitchers juicing and probably preventing Bonds from hitting more HRs?
12:25 PM
Anonymous said…
I thought with both SF and Pittsburgh struggling at the plate coming into the series, and Zach Duke matched up against Russ Ortiz, this would be an easy win for the Buccos tonight. Boy was I wrong.
12:26 PM
Trevor Cole said…
Ortiz is back.....
1:41 PM
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