Cody Ross led off the bottom of the first with a solo shot...until Ryan Braun reached over the left field wall and took it away from him. But that would not be the only offensive production from the Giants. The bases soon became loaded after a Freddy Sanchez single, Buster Posey double, and Pat Burrell walk. Jose Guillen stepped up to the plate. He promptly deposited a grand slam into the left-field stands, and later reflected on the moment proudly proclaiming, "I finally did something when the team needs it."
The Giants continued what would be an offensive feast with a 5th inning Jose Guillen two-run single, and a 7th inning three-run home run off the bat of Burrell.
The Giants continue to struggle offensively, with occasional bursts of offense. It needs to stop...for the health and sanity of those who closely follow the Giants. For a team that allows so few runs, it would be incredibly significant to have them consistently score four runs a game. If Guillen continues to hit like he did on Sunday, this won't be unheard of.
Once again, Barry Zito pitched well. He's finally finding a groove, as is the entire Giants' pitching staff. His line: 6 IP, 2 ER, 3 H, 1 BB, 3 K. Meanwhile, the bullpen had another lights-out performance, finishing the six-game homestand with an ERA of 0.52
The Giants are now back in first, as the Padres and Rockies both lost. The current standings:
The Giants have four remaining series:
3 @ CHC, 3 @ COL, Rest, 3 v. ARI, 3 v. SD
Just 12 more games, and they will ultimately decide the Giants' fate. ESPN estimates the Giants' playoff chances at 60.1%
Tomorrow: Rest day, then CHC. They will likely face: Carlos Zambrano, Randy Wells, and Ryan Dempster. They'll have Cain, Sanchez, and Bumgarner on the mound.
