SB Nation Bay Area - Giants Do Just Enough To Lose To Astroshttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48817/bayrea-fave.png2010-06-24T15:09:58-07:00http://bayarea.sbnation.com/rss/stream/12985432010-06-24T15:09:58-07:002010-06-24T15:09:58-07:00McCovey Chronicles Post-game Thread
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<p>Doom and gloom continues as the Giants take on a loss streak of two to the Houston Astros. You can join in on the discussion (and lamenting) at McCovey Chronicles in <a href="http://www.mccoveychronicles.com/2010/6/24/1535152/post-game-thread-cain-implodes" target="_blank">their post-game thread</a>. I think this quote sums things up rather nicely:</p>
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<p>This is how it's going to be. The Giants score just enough to win. Everything's alright. The Giants score just enough to lose. The sky is falling.</p>
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https://bayarea.sbnation.com/2010/6/24/1535208/mccovey-chronicles-giants-astros-post-gameJames Brady2010-06-24T14:39:23-07:002010-06-24T14:39:23-07:00Recap: Houston vs San Francisco
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<p><span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Liberation Sans', FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"> </span></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Liberation Sans', FreeSans, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;"> </span></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">Houston, TX (<a href="http://www.sbnation.com/mlb/events/55090/recap/107495" target="_blank">Sports Network</a>) - <span>Hunter Pence</span> hit a three-run home run to help the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mlb/teams/HOU" style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; color: #c61c17; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">Houston Astros</a> take a 7-5 win over the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mlb/teams/SFG" style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; color: #c61c17; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">San Francisco Giants</a> in the finale of a three-game set.</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"><span>Lance Berkman</span> went 2-for-4 with two RBI while rookie <span>Jason Castro</span> hit his first career homer and scored twice for the Astros, who won the final two games of the series after losing their previous five.</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"><span>Wandy Rodriguez</span> (4-10) was charged with just two unearned runs and four hits with a walk and three strikeouts over six innings.</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"><span>Pat Burrell</span> hit a two-run home run while <span>Aaron Rowand</span> went 3-for-3 with two runs scored for the Giants, who have lost four of their last six. <span>Matt Cain</span> (6-6) was handed the loss as he was tagged for seven runs on nine hits in just 2 2/3 innings.</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">Houston struck early and often as the team plated seven runs over the first three innings.</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">In the first with two men on, Pence clubbed a pitch over the wall in left- center and Castro led off the second with a homer to right.</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">Houston later loaded the bases in the second and a double from Berkman chased home two runners. <span>Michael Bourn</span> added an RBI double in the third for a 7-0 lead.</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">Burrell's two-run home run in the fourth got the Giants on the board.</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">The Giants put their first two men on base in the fifth, but <span>Edgar Renteria</span> hit into a double play and <span>Freddy Sanchez</span> fouled out to end the frame.</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">San Francisco again put their first two batters on in the sixth, but Burrell struck out and <span>Buster Posey</span> grounded into a double play.</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">The Giants cut into the deficit in the seventh. <span>Bengie Molina</span> reached base on a <span>Geoff Blum</span> error and Rowand followed with a single. <span>Tim Byrdak</span> took over on the mound for <span>Chris Sampson</span> and got the next two batters out, but consecutive RBI singles from <span>Andres Torres</span> and <span>Aubrey Huff</span> made it a 7-4 game.</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">Houston loaded the bases with one out in the seventh, but Bourn flied out and <span>Jeff Keppinger</span> struck out.</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"><span>Matt Lindstrom</span> gave up an RBI single to Renteria with one out in the ninth to make it a two-run game and<span>Travis Ishikawa</span> followed with a pinch-hit single to bring the go-ahead run to the plate. But Lindstrom settled down to get the next two batters and pick up his 17th save of the season.</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">Before the game, the Astros placed pitcher Felipe Paulino on the 15-day disabled list with shoulder tendinitis. To fill the roster spot, the team purchased the contract of pitcher Josh Banks from Triple-A Round Rock and announced he will start Saturday against Texas...Houston plays at Texas for three games starting Friday...San Francisco returns home to face Boston for a three-game set beginning Friday...Rodriguez had lost his previous three starts...San Francisco has won seven of the nine games against Houston this season...Cain has lost his last two starts.</p>
https://bayarea.sbnation.com/2010/6/24/1535175/recap-houston-vs-san-franciscoJames Brady2010-06-24T09:50:36-07:002010-06-24T09:50:36-07:00Preview: Giants Try To Continue Mastery Of Astros
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<p>(Sports Network) - <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/1081/Matt_Cain">Matt Cain</a> will try to get himself and the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/teams/SFG">San Francisco Giants</a> back into the win column when he takes the hill Thursday in the rubber match of a three-game series against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/teams/HOU">Houston Astros</a> at Minute Maid Park.</p>
<p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mlb/teams/SFG">Giants</a> had won nine in a row against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mlb/teams/HOU">Astros</a> before sustaining a 6-3 loss in Wednesday's middle portion of this series. Cain was riding a personal winning streak of his own before taking the hill last Saturday in a 3-0 loss at Toronto, as he allowed all three runs and six hits in 7 2/3 innings.</p>
<p>Cain, who was 4-0 with a 0.55 ERA in his previous four starts, fell to 6-5 in 14 outings and raised his earned run average slightly to 2.16. The bulky righty hopes to get himself and the Giants back on track in his second start of the season against Houston. He did not record a decision in a 10-4 win back on April 7, when he gave up four runs -- three earned -- in six innings. He is 1-2 with a 3.64 ERA in five career games (four starts) against the Astros.</p>
<p>San Francisco didn't get the outcome it expected from <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/328/Barry_Zito">Barry Zito</a> in last night's 6-3 loss after the 2002 AL Cy Young Award winner was reached for five runs on seven hits and two walks through four innings. <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/9/Aubrey_Huff">Aubrey Huff</a>, <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/31601/Andres_Torres">Andres Torres</a> and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/165/Juan_Uribe">Juan Uribe</a> each knocked in a run for the Giants, who had won two in a row and lost for the fourth time in seven tries.</p>
<p>"We were fighting to get back in it," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said on the team's website. "We were just missing a hit."</p>
<p>The Giants are still second in the National League West standings, 2 1/2 games behind the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/teams/SDP">San Diego Padres</a>.</p>
<p>Houston entered last night's game 0-7 against San Francisco this season and mired in a five-game overall slide, but had a big night at the plate to get off the schneid.</p>
<p><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/415/Jeff_Keppinger">Jeff Keppinger</a> ended with two hits and three RBI, while <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/350/Carlos_Lee">Carlos Lee</a>, <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/33980/Chris_Johnson">Chris Johnson</a> and winning pitcher <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/220/Brett_Myers">Brett Myers</a> had two hits and an RBI apiece. Myers was able to even his mark at 5-5 by holding the Giants to three runs -- one earned -- on six hits and three walks in seven innings. He struck out four, including former <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/teams/PHI">Phillies</a> teammate <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/191/Pat_Burrell">Pat Burrell</a>.</p>
<p>"I just try to go out and give us the best chance to win," Myers told Houston's official website. "I'm not trying to break any records. I'm just trying to give the club wins."</p>
<p>It seems that <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/375/Wandy_Rodriguez">Wandy Rodriguez</a> has been the opposite of that and will take the hill for the Astros Thursday afternoon. Rodriguez has lost three consecutive starts and is 1-6 with a 7.50 ERA in his last seven trips to the hill. In a 9-3 loss versus Texas last Friday, Rodriguez lasted a season-low three innings and surrendered six runs to fall to 3-10 with a 6.09 ERA in 14 starts.</p>
<p>The left-hander lost to San Francisco back on April 6, when he pitched six innings of three-run ball in a 3-0 loss. Rodriguez is winless (0-2) in two career starts against the Giants, who are 7-1 versus the Astros this year and had a six-game winning streak at Minute Maid Park come to an end last night.</p>
https://bayarea.sbnation.com/2010/6/24/2316904/preview-giants-try-to-continue-mastery-of-astrosEvan Dunlap