The Giants need a better showing on Wednesday night against the Phillies. It's absolutely crucial. It feels like just a few short days ago the Giants held a three game lead on the wild card race. They had offense, they had pitching, and most of all: they were clutch. Now it seems like the eighth inning is a time where all Giants fans should be nice and liquored up so as to ease the pain.
Hopefully that won't be the case tonight. Matt Cain goes to the mound for the Giants, and he'll be looking to right the ship that's sprung more than a few leaks. Cain is pitching as one of the better Giants hurlers lately, but he seems to have an issue. When he pitches great, he has no run support. When he has run support, he doesn't pitch great. It's an anomaly wrapped inside an enigma. I don't know what to make of it.
He's up against Joe Blanton, who will be looking to shut down a Giants offense that seems to have the largest and most obvious shut down button in the league at the moment. If he can pitch a solid first and ninth inning, the Phillies should be set.
Giants newcomer Jose Guillen homered on Tuesday, much to many fans surprises. Would be nice if he could do that some more.