Panda’s HR Leads Giants; Giant 7, Rockies 1

This game was very unpredictable starting at the top of the 1st inning. Matt Cain walked the first batter. Matt Cain doesn’t walk the first batter of the game and it appeared to be yet another long game for the Giants starting pitcher. However, Cain was able to get a double play ball out of the next batter. He followed that with a strikeout of Carlos Gonzalez.

The bottom of the first inning got a little bit weirder. Angel Pagan started off with a single and Marco Scutaro followed it with a double to left field. Pablo Sandoval came to the plate with runners on second and third with no out. Normally, I would think that since the Giants play small ball that a sacrifice fly to right field would suffice to get Pagan home and allow Posey to hit a sacrifice fly to get Scutaro home. Bing Bang it would be 2-0 Giants. BUT that didn’t happen! Pablo launched his first home run since July 8. The pitch that was hit, was not a strike but Sandoval got all of it and it hit the foul post.

September 19, 2012; San Francisco, CA, USA; San Francisco Giants third baseman Pablo Sandoval (48) watches his three-run home run during the first inning against the Colorado Rockies at AT

Nothing major happened from innings two through four except a couple of singles and walks but, no scoring.

The Rockies started a rally in the top of the fifth inning. After Matt Cain was cruising through the first four innings, Chris Nelson and Charlie Blackmon had back to back singles that was followed by a DJ LeMahieu sacrifice fly to put the Rockies on the board. Once Cain got the second out of the inning, he proceeded to walk the next two batters to load the bases. Dave Rhigetti came out to talk to Cain and Cain got Carlos Gonzalez to ground out to end the inning.

The Giants didn’t stand pat as the scored three runs in the bottom of the fifth inning. Pablo Sandoval got his third hit of the night to start off the inning. Buster Posey followed by striking out on a hit and run play, Sandoval was able to steal second and advance to third on a throwing error. Hunter Pence had a swinging bunt single to put runners on the corners with Brandon Belt. Belt doubled down the right field line. Gregor Blanco singled to get Belt and Pence home but, was caught in a run down to end the rally.

Cain continued to pitch well through the eighth inning with a line of 8.0 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 1 BB. Bruce Bochy put in Jose Mijares to close out the game.

With the Dodgers losing 1 of 2 games, the Magic number come down to 5. Once the Giants clinch, it stands to reason that Bochy will be auditioning a left fielder and we might get to see the likes of Ryan Theriot, Brandon Belt, Brett Pill and others for a spot on the postseason roster. However, I think Bochy will stick with the platoon of Blanco and Xavier Nady.