Category: San Francisco Giants

After 53 years Cuba rejoining the Carribean series

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That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary

The Elefantes del Cienfuegos ( Cienfuegos Elephants)in 1960-61 were the last Cuban champions to play in the Caribbean Series in 1960.

Since the first Caribbean Series, which took place in Cuba in 1949, Cuba was the team to beat and won the Series, 7 to 4 for Puerto Rico and one for Panamá . As a matter of fact Cuba they won the last five Caribbean Series in which they participated.

Cuba was undefeated in the 1960 Caribbean Series, which took place February 10 to 15, in Panamá . Their manager was Tony Castaño .

Earlier that year in Cuba, Castro’s communist system has been established, and that would be the last Caribbean Series for Cuba, as Castro banned all professional sports in the country.

The champion Cienfuegos team of Cuba was a powerhouse and they won it in undefeated fashion. Cuba’s Cienfuegos team beat twice each of their rivals: Puerto Rico, Panamá and Venezuela.
Rosters of the teams that participated in that last Caribbean Series in 1960 in which Cuba won for the last time. If you are a real baseball fan for the ages, you will surely recognize some of the names. Until 1960 Cuba was “the place”for American players to play in the winter, not only because Cuba’s proximity to the US,(90 miles)but because it was the best caliber of baseball and the best pay in the Caribbean.

CIENFUEGOS (CUBA):
MANAGER:
Tony Castaño .
PITCHERS
Camilo Pascual (15-5), Pedro Ramos (12-5), Raúl Sánchez (12-4), Ted Wieand
(4-4), Tony Díaz (3-1), Héctor Maestri (1-0), Pedro Carrillo (1-1), Walter
Craddock (0-1), Dagoberto Concepción (0-0), Roberto Tano , quien también
jugó en los jardines (0-0). Orlando Peña (10-9).
CATCHERS
Dutch Dotterer (.212), José Azcue (.264), Rafael “Son” Noble (.222),
Arturo Suárez (.333).
INFIELDERS:
George Altman, 1B (.251,14,32), Ossie Álvarez , 2B (.260), Octavio “Cookie”
Rojas, 2B (.204), Don Eaddy , 3B (.256), Leonardo Cárdenas , SS
(.279,11,34), Hiraldo (Chico Ruiz) Sablón (.214).
OUTFIELDERS
Román Mejías (.281,5,28), Tony ” Haitiano ” González (.310,10,35), Rogelio
” Borrego ” Álvarez (.248,12,36), Dan Dobbeck (.236), Ultus Álvarez (.208),
Roberto Tano (.214).
Del grupo no fueron Arturo Suárez , Ted Wieand y Walter Craddock . Orlando
Peña asistió como refuerzo .
CAGUAS ( PUERTO RICO):
MANAGER:
Victor Pellot Power.
PITCHERS
Juan ‘Term ” Pizarro, Earl Wilson, George Brunei, José ” Pantalones ”
Santiago, Julio Navarro, Bob Guigie , Ray Ripplemayer .
CATCHERS
Hector Valle, Frank Rivera.
INFIELDERS
Victor Pellot Power (1B), José Pagan (2B), Elwood Huycke (3B), Félix
Torres (SS).
OUTFIELDERS
Orlando Cepeda ( también jugo primera ), José García , Félix Mantilla, Tommy
Davis, Herminio Cortez , Herman Davis. Igualmente figuraron Roberto Vásquez ,
Luis De León , George Figueroa, Genito Toman .
MARLBORO (PANAMA):
MANAGER:
Welmer Shantz .
PITCHERS
Bob Milo, William Kirk, Humberto Robinson, Robert Waltz, Stan Pitula ,
Leonardo Martinez Ferguson, Julio Borbón , José Lisondro , Vibert Clarke, Ken
Rowe.
CATCHERS
Welmer Shantz , Marcos Cobos , Abdiel Flyn .
INFIELDERS:
Jim Gentile (1B), Elias Osorio (1B), Pablo Bernard (2B), Héctor López
(3B), Lee Tate (SS), Alonso Brathwaite , Eugenio Houradou and rookie Ruthford
“Chico” Salmón .
OUTFIELDERS:
Stan Palys ( also played first base ), Henry Mitchell, Bob Perry, Eddie
Napoleón , Joe Caffie . Jim Gentile was injured with club, but did not play)
RAPIÑOS (VENEZUELA):
MANAGER:
Lester Moss.
PITCHERS:
Ed Hobough , Billy Muffet , Marcelino Sanchez, Rafael Melendez, Marcos
Barboza , Ted Bowfield , Ramon Castellanos , Julian Ladera .
CATCHERS
Lester Pedden , Lester Moss.
INFIELDERS:
Cedlio Prieto (1B), Bob Aspromonte (2B), Luis ” Camaleón ” García (3B), Luis
Aparicio (SS), Luis Añez .
OUTFIELDERS
Willie Davis, Stan Miley , Al Grunwald , Pastor Romero, Roberto Zambrano ,
Johnny Callison , Johnny Davis y Norman Cash. Los tres últimos no viajaron ,
también jugaron Teolindo Acosta, Alejandro Vargas y Gilberto Valbuena .
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
BATTING
Tommy Davis, Puerto Rico (.409).
RUNS BATTED IN: Stan Palys , Panamá (12).
HOME RUNS
Héctor López , Panamá , Tommy Davis, Puerto Rico y Félix Torres, Puerto Rico
(3).
Rogelio ” Borrego ” Álvarez , Cuba, Dan Dubbeck , Cuba y Stan Palys , Panamá (2)

One Homerun each:
Les Padden , Venezuela, Bob Perry, Panamá , Elwood Huycke , Puerto Rico, Joe
Caffie , Panamá , Willie Davis, Venezuela, Eddie Napoleón , Panamá , Elias
Osorio , Panamá , Luis Aparicio , Venezuela, Al Grenwald , Venezuela, Frank Rivera,
Puerto Rico, Octavio “Cookie” Rojas, Cuba and José Pagan, Puerto Rico.
PITCHING
Camilo Pascual , Cuba, (2-0)
MOST VALUABLE PLAYER
Camilo Pascual , Cuba.
NOTE: George Altman of Cuba and Eddie Napoleón of Panamá had beter batting average than Tommy Davis of Puerto Rico with .438, but they did not have enough at bats.

Can you highlight how many players and managers above were in the show after Cuba?

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the vice president of the Major League Baseball Hispanic Museum and does News and Commentary each week for Sportstalk Radio

Johnson could be best closer yet for A’s: Giants looking to sign five tendered contracts

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That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary

OAKLAND–In the last two years former Baltimore Oriole closer Jim Johnson who saved 50 games last year and 51 in 2012, joined the Oakland A’s on Monday as the new closer of the club, former A’s pitchers Grant Balfour and Bartolo Colon will not return to Oakland and will seek new teams. Johnson will be the key closer and this was a great pick up by A’s general manager Billy Beane.

The A’s also signed Scott Kazmir on Monday for $22 million for two years, Kazmir is a lefty whose your typical five inning pitcher. He had some arm problems in the past I remember when he was a rookie with the Angels in 2007 in Anaheim and he was pretty good and he’s been around he pitched in Tampa Bay. Kazmir is a rotation guy and you put him in the rotation but I like the Johnson acquisition better and he could help the A’s a lot coming in in the ninth inning.

Johnson did have some arm problems but who hasn’t in the big leagues in this day and era a lot of guys come out a lot better after Tommy John surgery so Johnson is a good acquisition for Oakland. For Colon his agent is asking for a two year deal from Oakland and Beane is offering one so there is a good chance that Colon might sign with the Angels and he would love to be back in Southern California.

Colon won the Cy Young Award in Anaheim and that was in 2005 with the Angels that year he used to throw 98 MPH he threw like a Justin Verlander and last year wasn’t his best year for the A’s but it was that 2005 year for the Angels when he went 21-8 with a 3.48 ERA and the Angels would love to have him back and he’s asking for two years and after those two years he might retire. He’ll hang it up he’s 41 Colon is not coming back with the A’s and will shop other clubs and the A’s will not be able to sign him.

Balfour is a free agent and when Johnson was signed Balfour who was the A’s representative All-Star player with Colon last year will be looking for another team as Johnson will be the A’s closer starting next season and Balfour will be somewhere else. The meetings with the baseball owners begin next Monday in Orlando Florida and things are already happening there’s a lot of trading going on this week.

Giants looking to sign five players: The San Francisco Giants are looking to sign five players who are arbitration eligible, first baseman Brandon Belt, outfielder Gregor Blanco, pitcher Yusmeiro Petit, infielders Joaquin Arias, and Tony Abreu. Arias is versatile he can play third, short, and he can play any place. Petit is a Venezuelan pitcher who had a great year and almost pitched a perfect game, he has a good arm. The Giants are not sure if they are going to keep him and of course Barry Zito is gone after pitching for the Giants for seven years.

Blanco he’s your basic fourth outfielder he’s not an everyday outfielder. I’m surprised that the Giants have not signed somebody else to play leftfield and maybe they want to stay away from Nelson Cruz whose still a free agent but as we know last year he was suspended for PEDs and former Reds outfielder Shin-Soo Choo is a very good outfielder but his price might be too high for the Giants.

The Giants might have fortified themselves as far as pitching is concerned with Timmy Hudson and signing Timmy Lincecum. The Giants got Javier Lopez a left hander specialist. The Giants still need another bat because the truth about this the Giants and the Giants might not want to talk about this you don’t know what kind of Pablo Sandoval your going to get. There is only one superstar. everyday player and that is Buster Posey. Posey is the only guy who you can trust to hit .300 every year. You don’t know what kind of Pablo your going to get and signing Arias could be a plus he could help Pablo out at third base.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the Spanish radio voice for Oakland A’s baseball and does News and Commentary each week for Sportstalk

Consenus from pro and con voters SF arena traffic main concern

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by Ken Gimblin

SAN FRANCISCO–Even voters in San Francisco who are pulling for a new San Francisco downtown arena admit that traffic and not views or environmental issues will be the main issue of debate. San Francisco officials which includes the planning commission have come up with an idea to ease traffic and that’s to construct a light rail line that will run from McCovey Cove from AT&T Park to the Warriors new arena at piers 30-32 which would include  $1 billion new condos and hotel, and that is expected to help cover the traffic flow when both teams play on the same nights or if their are events being held at the same time.

While discussion had been focused on no development at the San Francisco waterfront and demonstrated in the October election when voters voted down propositions B and C that would start condo development at the piers 30-32 location. Even with a new transit lane that would run from the Giants park to the Warriors new arena and the traffic issue question resolved the waterfront neighborhood still opposes the Warriors building a new arena that could block the view of the bridge and the bay.

 Former San Francisco City Attorney Louise Renne stated that she and San Francisco voters during the prop B and C election were against the development at that location. San Francisco Mayor Art Agnos said the Warriors and condo developers are not in it for basketball or entertainment but this is merely a land grab for pure profit.

The Sierra Club is one of the strong environmental non-profits who are demonstrating environmental issues with developing on the piers from not only the aesthetics but also animals and their protection to arguing the pier is fine just the way it is. The San Francisco Board of Supervisors or most of them are trying to make way for this development as this would surely be a profitable situation for the City.

Board of Supervisor Scott Weiner says the Muni improvements would cost $2.2 billion more than the new arena-condo project, “before there wasn’t nearly enough focus on transit impacts and transit needs, my sense that is shifting there’s a renewed focus. As negotiations move forward, it’s very important to have in mind the full transit impacts of the project to make sure those are being accounted for.” said Weiner

Ken Gimblin is covering the NBA arena projects for the Warriors and Kings for Sportstalk Radio

A-Rod says he’s fighting for job and baseball all the way

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That’s Amaury News and Commentary

The New York Yankees Alex Rodriguez feels he’s been targeted unfairly in a way I don’t want to make direct comparison like the Barry Bonds case why? Because he’s a high profile player A-Rod is a name when he was playing even Roger Clemons who got in trouble that transcends sports and most people are not sports fans in this country and you walk in the streets and you ask somebody who is Jonny Gomes? Someone will reply I think I saw him in the World Series.

You say Alex Rodriguez they would say he’s a big star with the Yankees, so here’s the deal baseball wants to crucify him. How much evidence do they have on him? That’s the real question and I don’t think anybody really knows and it might be a game of chicken on whose going to blink first and A-Rod has some of the best attorneys in the world and Major League Baseball has very good attorneys and they have the power with the commissioner which is very powerful with over 30 owners behind him.

So this would be a big battle of epic proportions if this battle goes to court but let me say this and this is just myself, my experience I really believe that MLB and this commissioner wants to get A-Rod out of baseball and with a suspension of the 211 games maybe commissioner Bud Selig thought A-Rod is going to give up but it has backfired he’s not giving up he wants to keep playing and he’s very controversial as we know for all the suspensions for steroids and he’s very talented so Major League Baseball versus Alex Rodriguez right now is 50-50 chance on whose going to win this battle.

Tim Hudson can he stay healthy?: The Giants newly acquired 38 year old Tim Hudson from the Atlanta Braves this week and you never ever heard anything negative and he’s a class act however he’s 38 going on 39 very soon in a few months he’s been hurt a little bit and he’s still recuperating from ankle surgery although he will be in the Giants starting rotation. If he’s healthy and if everything goes right for him it would be a tremendous pick up for the Giants.

When your talking about a pitcher whose 38 or 39 or 40 the same thing happens with A’s pitcher Bartolo Colon he had a great season last year with 18 wins and he’s one of the best pitchers in baseball but he’s going to be 41 in May and the Giants spent a lot of money recently they paid $35 million for pitcher Tim Lincecum, they’re paying Hudson $23 million and there is still a little question mark if this is going to be the Hudson of old.

If he is it would be a very good pick up for the Giants and he would be behind starting pitchers Matt Cain, Madison Baumgarner, and he would be number three right now unless they have Lincecum at number three and the don’t want to sign Ryan Vogelsong to a free agent contract. So the Giants are still looking for maybe another pitcher. Bronson Arroyo could be signed but who knows the Giants could surprise everybody and sign Bartolo Colon.

There’s not too many in free agents in baseball, free agents of value but some stuff is happening as I predicted a couple of weeks after the World Series this stuff develops that the last two weeks in November before and after Thanksgiving day I believe that it’s going to be very busy in baseball and then in December everybody goes home and relax and come back in January and work on the media guides and the schedules are get ready and then your a couple months away from the first pitch.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the Spanish radio voice for the A’s and the Spanish TV voice for Angels baseball and does News and Commentary each week for Sportstalk

Hurdle and Francona named top skippers of the year

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That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary

Clint Hurdle the Pittsburgh Pirates manager was named National League manager of the year and Cleveland’s Terry Francona was named American League manager of the year on Tuesday. The vote to elect the two managers was taken by the Baseball Writers Association of America. Hurdle won 25 of the 30 first place votes beating out the Dodgers manager Don Mattingly and Fredi Gonzalez of the Atlanta Braves.

Francona edged the Red Sox John Farrell by 16 points, Francona had 16 first place votes and ten second place votes. Francona who led Cleveland to their first post season since 2007 gets much of the credit for turning around a Cleveland franchise that was trying to find their way and playing in front of some small crowds at Jacobs Field prior to Francona’s arrival.  Farell piloted the Sox to a World Series Championship this season.

If the S.F. waterfront fails the Warriors can move next to AT&T Park: I can only go by the history of San Francisco and the city is a very tough town to build anything. The best example and were talking sports here to ask the San Francisco Giants how long it took the Giants to get an approved stadium to build a park in the City it took over a decade and three elections.

The Warriors are going to realize this is not Orange County or Santa Clara County, this is not an area where you can build a new stadium just about everywhere you wish if you have the money. San Francisco is a very environmentally minded city, the Environmental Protection Agency is going to come out with some studies about those piers there.

There might be some fish there that might be on the endangered species list whose been around for thousands of years. The people of the Bay Area belong to some very special cities and with all respect to the Warriors with the new ownership and the new management I don’t think they realize that. Warrior owners Joe Lacob is from the east coast and Peter Gruber is from Hollywood and is a big movie mogul.

The Angels were thinking of building a park in downtown L.A. and you know what that’s legal they can do it the Dodgers don’t have territorial rights in Los Angeles that’s why the Angels are called the Los Angeles Angels, the Dodgers wouldn’t fight that. The Southland is different and the Golden State Warriors are up for a rude awaking here.

The Warriors are really going to have to tweak this plan in many phases before the voters, EPA and other environmental groups before the voters of the city say “okay build your arena.” You can still have it but it’s not as easy as they thought it was going to be.

With ex San Francisco Mayor Art Agnos leading the charge against a water front arena it could be a big battle and look I’ll give you a comparison I just came back from a week in Hawaii, it’s a beautiful place, the water is clean, it’s just great the Islands are beautiful. San Francisco’s number one industry is not the Giants, it’s tourism.

If you build a big monstrosity on piers 30-32 where it would be an eye sore for the people who come to the city that is no good if I’m the San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee I would seriously have to think this one over, but I knew former San Francisco Mayor Dianne Feinstein years ago and I talked to her and I gave her an award for doing the Juan Marichal day and I’m sure if Feinstein were still mayor she would say, “San Francisco is a special city and you can’t appeal something just because you have $144 million.”

Let’s set the record straight right here, it’s not going to happen and let’s go back to the city any big structure could be an eyesore to the shoreline to the bay and the Warriors are thinking very hard about this and they better have some good attorneys ready because this could be a real long fight.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the former Spanish radio and TV voice for Warriors and Clippers basketball and does News and Commentary each week for Sportstalk Radio

Giants win emotional season finale

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SAN FRANCISCO- The San Francisco Giants hosted the San Diego Padres in the regular season finale at AT&T Park in San Francisco on Sunday afternoon. San Francisco beat the Padres 7-6 in an emotional walk off victory as there were many things to think about during game number 162 for the 2013 season.

Coming off of their second World Series win in three years, the Giants finished a disappointing 76-86 and in a tie for third in the National League West with the Padres. Barry Zito was also in his last game as a San Francisco Giant.

The Giants got on the bored in the first inning with an RBI double from first basemen Brandon Belt.

After falling behind 2-1, the Giants tied it up with another run produced by the middle of the Giants order in the fourth inning. Belt started the rally when he was hit by a Tyson Ross fastball. Ross, who settled with a no decision made the start for San Diego. Buster Poesy follwed the hit by pitch with a single into left field. After a Hunter Pence strikeout, Pablo Sandoval ripped a single into right field. Belt scored easily as the throw went to third base, but Posey made a tremendous slide to set up a first and third with nobody out. The rally was stalled after Brandon Crawford and Juan Perez made a couple of loud outs.

Ross grew up right across the bay in Oakland. He started his career in Oakland after being drafted by the Oakland Athletics. The right-hander attended Bishop O’Dowd High School and was drafted out of high school by his hometown team.

San Diego regained the lead in the top of the fifth when rookie Jedd Gyorko hit a grand slam on a 2-0 pitch off of Jake Dunning. Dunning relieved starter Guillermo Moscoco. the grand slam put the Padres ahead 6-2 and put the Giants chances of winning their season finale in front of a sellout crowd of 41,495 in doubt. the sellout was the 246 consecutive sellout dating back to the last 10 games of the 2010 season. In the 81 home games this season, the Giants totaled an attendance of 3,369,106.

San Francisco however, did not give up. The Giants did what they desperately needed, and that was avoid the shutdown inning. Belt drove in another run as he knocked in Gregor Blanco after he walked and stole second. Blanco advanced to third on a throwing error and scored on Belt’s two out double into the right field corner. The RBI cut the lead in half, making it 6-3 after five innings of play.

The Giants signed righ fielder Hunter Pence to a 5-year $90 million deal on Friday and the slugger rewarded his his team with a great performance on Sunday. Pence knocked in two runs with a bases loaded single and pulled the Giants to within one run.

When Barry Zito jogged down to the bullpen, the crowd went crazy. The sellout crowd was electric from the star, but when last season’s postseason hero came in for his last appearance as a San Francisco Giant, the fans showed their appreciation. Zito faced his former teammate in Oakland, Mark Kotsay with two outs in the eighth inning. Zito struck him out and walked off the mound for the final time as a Giant at AT&T Park to a standing ovation.

After Blanco and Angel Pagan collided in the top of the ninth inning, Francisco Peguero lead of the bottom of the ninth inning with his first career homerun off of Padres closer Huston Street. The blast tied the game up 6-6 and gave the Giants new life. The Giants got the bases loaded again with nobody out after Posey was walked intentionally. The free pass set up the heroics for Hunter Pence. Pence sent the Giants off into the off season with a walk off single. the RBI brought Pence to finish the season with 99 RBIs.

Phillip Torres covers the San Francisco Giants for sportsradioservice.com

Stults does in Giants

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Screen shot 2013-09-28 at 6.11.34 PM

By Jeremy Kahn

SAN FRANCISCO-In his final start of the 2013 season, Eric Stults pitched like he was trying to get the San Diego Padres into the playoffs, depsite the fact they are tied for third place with the San Francisco Giants.

Stults pitched seven innings, allowing three runs on seven hits, walking no one and striking out three on his way to his 11th win of the season and the Padres defeated the Giants 9-3 before a sellout crowd of 41,201 at AT&T Park.

Hunter Pence, who earlier in the day signed a five-year $90 million contract, slammed a two-run home run off of Stults in the bottom of the third inning that gave the Giants 3-1 lead over the visitors from “America’s Finest City.”

Chris DeNorfia gave the Padres a quick 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning, as he took the second pitch he saw from Yusmeiro Petit over the centerfield wall for his 10th home run of the season.

The Padres took the lead for good in the top of the fourth inning, as they scored four runs off of Petit and batted around against Petit and George Kontos.

Former Giants outfielder Jesus Guzman gave the Padres the elad for good, as he hit a three-run home run off of Petit.

After getting the first two outs in the fourth inning, Petit gave up six consecutive hits, with the last one coming against Stults, who drove in Alexi Amarista.

Mike Kickham came on to finish the game, but DeNorfia added a run-scoring single in the top of the ninth inning, and then Reymond Fuentes added a run-scoring single of his own and then Jedd Gyorko added a two-run home run.

Kickham pitched one inning, allowing four runs on six hits and striking out one.

Petit lasted just 3.2 innings, allowing five runs on seven hits, walking no one and striking out two.

With the victory, the Padres move one game ahead of the Giants for third place in the National League West.

Three home runs powers Giants past Padres, 7-3

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By Gabe Schapiro

On Friday night, a sellout crowd of 41,103, the 244th consecutive sellout at AT&T Park, went home happy. Thanks to an unusual display of power in a park where it’s hard to come by, the San Francisco Giants (75-85), came away with a 7-3 victory over the San Diego Padres (75-85). Ryan Vogelsong, making his final start of 2013, wasn’t at his best, but he battled all night and limited the damage. With the win, and a Colorado Rockies loss, the Giants are guaranteed to finish in no worse than fourth place in the NL West.

In what proved to be a good omen, prior to the game the Willie Mac Award, named after the great Willie McCovey and annually given to the Giant who best exemplifies the spirit and leadership that Big Mac played with, was deservedly awarded to Hunter Pence. Thankfully San Francisco didn’t spoil what from the get-go was a positive environment.

Following the ceremony and a slightly delayed start, it took some time for Vogelsong to settle in. Right out of the gate the Padres were making hard contact, and in the first inning they got on the board with a solid single to left field by Tommy Medica that brought home Chris Denorfia, who had singled earlier in the inning.

In the second inning San Francisco made some noise of their own. Pablo Sandoval took a rare walk, and then two batters later rookie Juan Perez got a hold of one and sent a 1-1 pitch just over the left field wall for his first career home run. The homer gave the Giants a 2-1 lead.

After the game Bochy complimented how well Perez has adjusted to life in the major leagues following his first big league long ball. “He’s really turned it up a notch here, he’s played great on both sides of the ball. He looks a lot more comfortable at the plate, he’s quieter up there…the ball jumps off his bat. I’m glad to see him get that sense of belonging up here.”

San Diego wasted little time in responding. Denorfia walked to lead off the next half inning, and as walks so often do, it came back to hurt Vogelsong. Up next was Jedd Gyorko, who sent a towering fly ball towards triples alley that smacked off of the right field wall. Gyorko was thrown out trying to turn it into a triple, but Denorfia easily scored from first to tie the game at 2-2.

In the top of the third it only took the Giants three pitches to punch right back. Abreu singled to lead off the inning, and Brandon Belt followed with his 17th home run of the season, a no-doubter into the porch in right field. Two batters later Pence got in on the slugfest, and to celebrate his Willie Mac Award in style hit his 26th homer of the season, extending the lead to 5-2.

After the third, for the most part both starters settled down, until the sixth.

In the top of the sixth Vogelsong ran into some control problems, walking two, but managed to gut his way through the inning unscathed. With that his night was over having scattered five hits, two runs, four walks, and three strikeouts in his six innings. He threw 91 pitches.

On Vogelsong Bochy kept it simple, saying that after the game ““I just told him great job, great start. Good for him how he finished….I was happy for Vogey bouncing back from a rough start like that.”

By the ninth the Giants had added two more runs to their lead, making it 7-2. In the ninth the Padres tried making it interesting when Logan Forsythe led off with a long home run to dead center, bringing them to within four, but that’s where the comeback attempt ended.

This series against the Padres, the last of the season, continues tomorrow at 1:05 PM.

Game Notes: Following the three home runs hit by the Giants tonight, they have 105 on the season, two more than they did during their World Series run in 2012….Gregor Blanco almost hit for an usual kind of cycle, getting himself thrown out at first, second, and home plate during the game. Bochy announced that Cain would not make his last scheduled start, making his 2013 season over as well.

Lincecum exits with a win over the Dodgers

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By Morris Phillips

Tim Lincecum wanted to end his 2013 season—and possibly his career with the Giants—in style.  Fans of the Giants and Dodgers—weary of senseless violence– wanted peace.  And apparently, Brian Wilson wants his World Series ring after all.

To say Thursday night was a busy one on the shores of McCovey Covey would be an under statement.

Lincecum arrived in San Francisco in 2007- the final year of Barry Bonds as a Giant—and went on to win two Cy Young awards, two World titles and throw a no-hitter.  Now 29 and not nearly the pitcher and player he was a few years back, Lincecum enters the off-season as a free agent.  But if Thursday was his final act as a Giant, LIncecum made sure he leaves a winner, as the Giants squeezed past the Dodgers, 3-2.

“We don’t know what’s going to happen, but I was very happy with what he did tonight,” manager Bruce Bochy said of Lincecum.

While both sides have said all the conciliatory things, Lincecum may not be back.  The Giants will have bigger off-season priorities then resigning the Freak, and Lincecum will command offers to be a starter for other teams even as his skill set has eroded prior to him turning 30.  Given that, the fans in attendance brought signs and cheers of encouragement while Lincecum departed after seven innings pitched by giving the crowd a polite bow.

“That ovation was pretty special and I’ve always had an awkward way of acknowledging that,” Lincecum said.  “But I do have an appreciation and respect for the way they’ve received me.”

Lincecum cooled the Dodgers’ lineup during his stint, allowing single runs in the first and fourth inning and leaving with the game tied after the Giants rallied for a pair of runs in the fifth.  Angel Pagan’s drive to left in the eighth inning just barely cleared the wall and marked the difference in a hard fought game between the California rivals.

Prior to the evening’s first pitch the crowd stood in a moment of silence for Jonathan Denver, who attended Wednesday’s game and was stabbed to death after the game in a confrontation between Giants and Dodgers’ supporters near the ballpark after the game’s conclusion.

Arrests have already been made in connection to Denver’s death, but the violence between fans of both clubs again marred the rivalry as it did when Bryan Stow was severely injured outside Dodgers Stadium in 2011.  The moment of silence on Thursday was an eery reminder of that incident and also an indication that much work is to be done to move beyond the violence.

After the game’s final pitch, former Giant Brian Wilson ran across the field and confronted Giants CEO Larry Baer apparently over the delivery of his World Series ring from 2012. According to the Giants, they had approached Wilson a couple of times to arrange and schedule the gift of his ring but were rebuffed both times.   In the bizarre confrontation, Wilson was seen to be yelling while Baer stood befuddled.

The awkward solution?  Wilson’s ring was delivered to the Dodgers’ clubhouse soon after the confrontation without any fanfare.

The Giants take on the Padres in their final series of 2013 with San Diego’s Burch Smith facing San Francisco’s Ryan Vogelsong in the opener at 7:15pm.Image

Giants pounce on LA early

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By Jeremy Harness

SAN FRANCISCO – Yeah, the Giants are going to miss the playoffs a year after winning it all. But that doesn’t mean they can’t go out in style and take something positive out of this last week to carry into next season.

Beating the eternal rival Dodgers will accomplish just that. The boys down south already wrapped up the National League West, so the Giants might as well give them something to think about heading into 2014.

The Giants evened up this three-game series at AT&T Park Wednesday night with a 6-4 win, inching a little closer to that goal.

At the same time, Wednesday marked perhaps the end of starter Barry Zito’s six-year, $126 million tenure with the Giants. Although he didn’t give a glimpse of his Cy Young Award-winning days with the A’s way back when, he came away with the victory nonetheless.

To illustrate how much Zito needed this win, he had lost his previous eight decisions and just avoided his career-long losing streak of nine straight, which stretched from July to September of 2010.

He went five innings and gave up only two runs (one earned) on four hits, striking out one and not walking anyone. However, he apparently wasn’t too happy with the way his night ended, as he was shown in the dugout shaking his head in disapproval shortly after his outing concluded.

The offense was not an issue for the Giants. They jumped right on Dodgers starter Ricky Nolasco, loading the bases with no one out in the second inning. Second baseman Tony Abreu then cleared them with a shot into the gap in right-center that just skipped past right fielder Yasiel Puig’s glove to give the Giants a quick 3-0 lead.

Zito cruised through the first three innings without any issues. However, he hit a speed bump in the fourth that, fortunately for him, didn’t turn into something bigger.

Puig and Carl Crawford led off the inning with singles, and Matt Kemp followed that with a double to bring Puig in. Three batters later, shortstop Brandon Crawford booted a grounder by Jerry Hairston, Jr and allowed Crawford to score.

Zito bore down and got the next batter, Skip Schumaker to ground into a fielder’s choice to end the threat and keep the Giants’ lead at one run.

Pablo Sandoval, who probably weighs as much as his batting average these days (.273), replenished that lead in the fourth with an opposite-field two-run homer that just made it to the first row of the stands.

The two teams traded 1-spots in the sixth while LA picked up a run in the eighth as Kemp drove Crawford home with a single.