If you were at this game all by your lonesome say hello in the comments section. To do otherwise would be anti-social, a behavior we cannot tolerate. The tree is falling in the woods... prove that it makes a sound.
For further series explanation [go here]
GAME 5 of 18
May 17th, 2010
Padres v Giants @Petco Park
(Monday/Park Pass)
WHAT I THINK I KNOW...
I went to this game with my brother and his fiance on park passes. Our goal was to sneak down to some Field Reserved seats since it was a Monday night and the Padres still lacked Believers... not that it would change drastically in the coming months. The Brother and Missus were successful in their attempts to hijack Jeffrey Moorad's seats. I failed.
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I watched the game from behind the plate in the standing room area. This is a fantastic spot to watch a game. A great perspective exists for everything but a view of the Jumbo tron in LF. Not a big deal but I like replays and examining player slash lines and numbers.
I stood next to a Giants fan and his girlfriend. She was very attractive and I could only think to myself, "Boy, did this fella in orange do well for himself." By year's end he could claim both the girl and a championship... a life complete! But on that night we talked baseball with special mention of the Padres recent dominance of his Giants. I would have the last laugh... that night anyways.
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The Padres won this game. I believe the hard luck loser for SF was Matt Cain as always. I think he pitched well giving up but a couple runs. Final score of 3-1, perhaps? The method of scoring is mysterious to me.
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Heath Bell raced in from the bullpen to Breaking Benjamin's Blow Me Away and proceeded to get his mind blown... by TWO SEPARATE incidents of clowns jumping on to the field to disrupt the game in the 9th inning. The second incident was especially memorable because the crowd dutifully began chanting, "Tase him, Tase him, Tase him." It's a unique moment when the laid back denizens of San Diego begin to beg for a fellow human being to get the taser treatment from security. I loved it. I could tell that Heath was bothered by the events, his delicate rhythm as a closer being disrupted. Ultimately the Giants got him for a run before shutting the door (I think).
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Memorable moment: this was the game where Chris Denorfia got his first AB as a Padre. He would drive a single to CF to the right side of the second base bag and then steal second (maybe). Back to the hit... it was only a single... but it had that thunderous crack that resonates through a park leaving an indelible mark on your mind. A mere single. I liked Denorfia from that moment forward.
Source: The memory of clowns on a field... and a ticket stub.
RESEARCH SAYS...
Yes! I was correct. The final score was a 3-1 victory for the Padres. Clayton Richard got the win, improving his record to 3-2. Richard pitched 7 innings, surrendering 1 run on 3 hits. He walked 3 and K'd 5.
Matt Cain was the loser. He dropped to 2-3 on the season. Cain only gave up 2 runs but he walked 5. C'mon fella!
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Heath Bell got the save, his 11th in 13 opportunities. I was wrong about him giving up a run though. He did give up a hit and struck out 2. I was correct about the clowns on the field... I guess the inning was so long it altered my memory.
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The go ahead (and winning) run came in the 5th when Chase Headley knocked a single to RF plating David Eckstein. An insurance run was tacked on in the 7th when Kyle Blanks was HBP resulting in the third run by... that man David Eckstein.
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Attendance: 20, 558. I guess that's decent for a Monday night game in May....
NOTABLE OMISSIONS...
No GAB (Gregerson/Adams/Bell) during this game but there was an AB sighting. I prefer this anyway. I think a starter should work at least 7 innings... preserve the 'pen a bit and leave yourself with more options when needed. Adams (8th) and Bell (9th) is preferable if it means the starter went 7 innings. There will always be work for Luke Gregerson.
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This win over the Giants was a big one as the Padres had just been swept by the Dodgers over the weekend at Petco. The Padres brought their season tally to 7-0 against the Giants and 11-3 dating back to 2009. Surprisingly, with a chance to move to 8-0 the following night, Latos couldn't get the win. He was on track however, until the wheels fell off in the 8th and the Padres lost in 12 innings.
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Chase Headley was hitting clean-up with an OPS (.723) lower than #2 hitter David Eckstein (.724). In the bottom of the eighth, with Chris Denorfia on 3rd (I was wrong... no SB for Deno... he was sacrificed and advance on a ground-out) the Giants opted to walk AGon to get to Chase Headley. Chase couldn't pick up the runner and popped out to RF.
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| No more of those sign graphics. Fun while they lasted. |
The Giants outfield on May 17th (Andres Torres, Aaron Rowand, Nate Schierholtz) was significantly different than the one that logged the majority of innings during the Division clinching game on October 3rd (Pat Burrel and (PH) Cody Ross / Andres Torres/ Jose Guillen and (PH) Nate Schierholz)
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Juan Uribe struck out 3 times which I enjoyed. Because he's a fat shortstop. My mind is engineered to hate fat middle infielders who swing out of their shoes. Sue me. Enjoy LA, fat fella.
Source: Baseball Reference and Padres.com
LASTING IMPRESSIONS...
It was fun beating up on the Giants but clearly they were a different looking team come October. By that time they were playing us more competitively... and then they won the World Series.
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I've seen Matt Cain pitch a lot and he always pitches well... and he always loses. It's great. I think my Cain winning streak dates back to this memorable game. Watch it here.
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I'm perfectly fine watching a game by myself. I am secure.
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That's 5 games in the books and the Padres are 3-0 (Storm 1-1). Winners are grinners.
Thirteen to go!
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