New 2B Sanchez, Zito get Giants by Phils
August 3, 2009
SAN FRANCISCO (AP)—All-Star second baseman Freddy Sanchez(notes) waited four days tomake his San Francisco Giants debut so his sore left knee could get some extrarest.
It was well worth it.
Sanchez had two hits and two RBIs in his first game in a Giants uniform,Barry Zito(notes) made his third straight strong start and San Francisco beat thePhiladelphia Phillies 7-3 on Sunday.
“Obviously it’s a different type of feeling any time you get traded and areplaying in your first game,” said Sanchez, who was acquired from Pittsburgh twodays before the trade deadline last week. “It felt like it’s been forever sinceI had an at-bat so it felt a little different up there. But everyone’s made mefeel at home and that feels good.”
Batting in the No. 2 spot, Sanchez singled in his first at-bat then added atwo-run double in the sixth when San Francisco scored three times off Phillies’starter Cole Hamels(notes) to break the game open.
Series at a Glance Philadelphia 2 San Francisco 7 Thu, Jul 30 – Final Philadelphia 5 San Francisco 1 Fri, Jul 31 – Final Philadelphia 0 San Francisco 2 Sat, Aug 1 – Final Philadelphia 3 San Francisco 7 Sun, Aug 2 – Final
Aaron Rowand(notes) and Eugenio Velez(notes) had two hits apiece for the Giants, who wonthree of four against the defending World Series champs. San Francisco’s loneloss in the series was on Friday when reigning AL Cy Young winner Cliff Lee(notes),picked up in a late trade from Cleveland last week, pitched a four-hitter in a5-1 Philadelphia win.
“Other than that, it was great to show this team and show the league thatwe’re a threat to be taken seriously,” said Zito, whose team remained tied withColorado for the NL wild card lead.
Jimmy Rollins(notes) homered and had two hits for the Phillies, who still own thesecond-best record in the National League despite going 6-5 over their last 11games.
Philadelphia stranded only four baserunners but two of them were in scoringposition, which has been a trouble spot for the Phillies as of late.
“Hitting with runners in scoring position is something (where) you’ve gotto bear down and know what you can do and how to do it,” manager Charlie Manuelsaid. “With a man on third base … you’ve got to get that one guy in first andthink about moving the runners up and playing the game the right way. If youdon’t do that, then it’s hard to do.”
The Giants traded one of their best pitching prospects in the minors to getSanchez from the Pirates, San Francisco’s second big trade in a three-day span.The team also traded for first baseman Ryan Garko(notes) last Monday.
San Francisco Giants' Fred… AP – Aug 2, 7:39 pm EDT
Garko had a day off Saturday but has played in every game since the trade.He had a single and scored in four at-bats in the finale with Philadelphia.
Sanchez, though, did not play for his new team until Sunday.
He made an error while trying to field a ball barehanded, which allowedPhiladelphia to score an unearned run off Zito in the fourth. But Sanchez, whowon the 2006 NL batting title, made up for it with his double to right-centerthat scored Zito and Velez. Sanchez then scored when Philadelphia first basemanRyan Howard(notes) fielded Pablo Sandoval’s(notes) infield single and flipped it over the headof pitcher Cole Hamels, who was covering first.
“Those are the situations you want to be in, game on the line, guys onbase, two outs,” Sanchez said. “You’re not going to get the job done everytime but when you do it feels good, especially after making an error.”
Hamels (7-6) gave up all seven runs and lost for the first time since July1. It was his first loss in five career starts against San Francisco.
Philadelphia Phillies' Eri… AP – Aug 2, 7:36 pm EDT
Zito (7-10) went six innings, giving up three runs with five strikeouts. Hedidn’t walk a batter for the fifth time this season.
“Early in the season he had trouble getting the ball where he wanted, buthe settled down and pitched some really nice games,” Giants manager Bruce Bochysaid. “We just had some trouble getting run support for him. He is a differentpitcher now and his stuff has definitely picked up.”
Four San Francisco relievers combined to finish the game, with Bob Howry(notes)working a perfect ninth.
Rollins hit his 11th homer of the season in the fourth but Philadelphia’soffense continued to come up short. The Phillies led 3-1 when Carlos Ruiz(notes)singled in Eric Bruntlett(notes) in the fifth but the Giants took control with threeruns in the bottom of the fifth and three more in the sixth.
Notes: The Giants went 6-1 on the homestand. … Garko hit in the cleanupspot for San Francisco while normal No. 4 hitter Bengie Molina(notes) rested. … Thegame was sold out for the second straight day and the 11th time this season atAT&T Park.
