A well pitched game by both sides did not well for San Francisco, being shutout by the White Sox 2-0. The Giants lost their ninth game in their last twelve in what was an excellent pitching duel between Jonathan Sanchez and Gavin Floyd. The game was good for the most part, but was decided by crucial one pitch.
Sanchez pitched a good six and two-thirds innings before allowing a two-run homer to Chicago second baseman Alexei Ramirez that would end up being the difference maker. Sanchez’s final line included those two runs on five hits, six strikeouts, and three walks. Billy Sadler relieved Sanchez and pitched two hitless innings, but walked two batters. Alex Hinshaw faced just one batter, the final batter of the Chicago ninth inning, and struck him out. The lefty reliever, Hinshaw will likely be with the team until Kevin Correia comes back from the disabled list. He was brought up when Merkin Valdez was put on the DL with a strained right elbow, but should be back in two weeks.
Offensively, the Giants did not get anything done. Leaving too many men on base has been killing them lately. As a team, they reached base nine times Friday night, and were unable to bring anyone in. Corner outfielders Fred Lewis and Randy Winn both went one-for-three; Lewis with a single, and Winn a double. Last night’s only real threat in the lineup came from second baseman Ray Durham who went three-for-four with two singles and a double.
Barry Zito will try to salvage a win from the White Sox in the second game of the series tonight at 6:05 p.m. Mark Buehrle has not been so great either this year, going 1-5 with a 5.81 earned run average since the season began and will face-off against Zito tonight. Eventually Zito will have to get a win, but the odds are not in his favor tonight unless the bats can get going and give him a big enough lead to work with.
