WE WILL: Acknowledge Our Past
Giants 1
Pirates 3
Giants 3
Pirates 10
Great night for baseball in the Burgh last night. Great night for old Ernie Banks to tell us to play two. It was a real shame that was all cast in the shadow of the massive Barry Bonds. There have only been several times, while I've been alive, that Pittsburgh has been able to experience a truly great baseball moment. A moment where it didn't matter if it was the Pirates or another team with an accomplishment, the game was made better because of it. Off the top of my head I have seen a few, the two all-star games since '94, the closing of 3 rivers and remembering the greats that played there, and Roger Clemens pitching one last time at PNC. Being able to witness the reigning all-time HR champ bat was added to that list.
From the post-game write-up and the radio post-game show, you all know by now that the welcome for Bonds was much warmer than it has been in the past. That is no indication of how Pittsburgh feels. The Pirates entered the game 16 games under .500, and even though it was a great night for two baseball games, that record in August guarantees no fair weather fans will show up. At this point in the season only the true, real baseball fans are in attendance. 24,000 walked through the blue gates at PNC last night, almost all of them there because they were Barry Bonds' fans or they were there to appreciate the game.
Bonds' used his weak arm to throw everyone another curve by inserting himself into the first game's lineup, only minutes before the game was to begin. Most fans missed the opportunity to cheer/boo his first at-bat because of that. That opportunity was given again following an incredibly short, generic and lame video "tribute" to Bonds. I was a little surprised how long Bonds took the field as a curtain call to all those cheering. Even more surprising, nothing was thrown at him.
Due to work and the great efficient game Maholm was throwing, I missed the first three innings of the first game. Since I missed all of the offense, there is not much to comment on. Maholm was lights out in backing the great outing by Gorzy. My game compatriot, awed out how awful Maholm made the Giants look, cleverly pointed out the Giants would blow out the second game. "No professional athlete will look that bad and not make up for it in the next game". He should be sitting in front of a crystal ball and be charging $20 bucks a reading at state fairs with that kind of prognosticating.
Game two was a story of defense, even though the lop-sided score might indicate otherwise. Shane Youman lost it in the 5th inning, but cleverly held the Giants in check. His night should have been done. In the bottom of that inning, Bautista was on first when Dirty destroyed one into the North Side Notch. I have no idea how Rajai Davis can run so fast with that huge chip DL placed on his shoulder by trading him. Davis was playing Dirty to right center and had to cover most of centerfield before making a spectacular diving catch on the warning track. Bautista was more than 1/3 of the way to third when it was caught and should have easily been doubled up had the 2B made the relay throw. You must catch a replay of that catch. That is everything that is good about baseball. When the ball left the bat it appeared the Pirates would be up by one with another runner in scoring position. That catch effectively ended the Pirates half of the inning.
In the bottom half of the inning Sugar Shane again could not find the plate. Somehow he had a chance to get out of the inning unscathed. After a Randy Winn sac bunt to place runners on second and third with 1 out, Pedro Feliz was intentionally walked to load the bases. Shane got the Giants young, light hitting 1B to ground back to him. It was a tailor maid 1-2-3 double play. Shane's throw to home, like most pitches thrown in the last two innings, was over-thought and had trouble finding the plate. I could only explain the quality of his throw to my father by referencing my 6-year old niece's ability to throw. The weak lob to the plate left catcher Phelps with no chance at getting the runner at first. Youman continued to have trouble finding the plate and needed an umpire's gift to get to 3-2 against Klesko. The gift ended up being to the Giants as it prolonged at bat and handed Klesko a fat, flat fastball down the middle. The 6th inning should have started with the Pirates up by at least one run, but finished with them behind by 4 and defeated.
The highlight of the second game was easily the mega mullet that moved down in front of us.
A shout-out to the Mullet-Era that Bonds played in here
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