Ugh, bad start for Woody.... [Archive] - NFL Picks | Sports Betting Picks

Obri

08-17-2004, 08:45 AM

No such worries. 5 straight wins for San Fran, and into the WC spot. :cool:

Giants move into Wild Card lead
Late rally lifts San Francisco to victory
By Rick Eymer / Special to MLB.com

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Barry Bonds drew three walks on Monday night, giving him 171 this season. (Susan Ragan/AP)

SAN FRANCISCO -- Jason Christiansen got a little excited when he learned the Giants moved into the Wild Card lead after beating the Expos, 8-5, on Monday night.
"The fact we're in the Wild Card race and still in the Division race means we'll treat all these games like it's Sept. 15," Christiansen said. "It's going to be trying, but the next 40 days will be like that."

Ricky Ledee's pinch-hit single in the eighth inning snapped a tie and helped lift the Giants to their fifth straight victory.

Giants starter Kirk Rueter got reacquainted with his former team for the first time in over three years, but it wasn't the way he expected it to turn out. However, he couldn't argue with the results.

Ledee, acquired in a trade with the Phillies on July 30, punched a single into left field against a drawn-in infield to score Michael Tucker with the go-ahead run.

"Lately I have been feeling better," Ledee said. "I'm seeing more pitches and trying to get comfortable. It's been a little frustrating, but I have been able to have some good at-bats."

Tucker walked to open the inning. He was sacrificed to second by Deivi Cruz and went to third on a wild pitch, setting up Ledee's game-winning hit.

Pedro Feliz drove in a run with a sacrifice fly and A.J. Pierzynski singled home a run to round out the scoring in the eighth.

J.T. Snow singled in the eighth to extend his hitting streak to 10 games, while Cruz went 0-for-2 to end his 10-game streak. Marquis Grissom drove in two runs.

Christiansen (3-2) got the final two outs of the eighth to get the victory. Dustin Hermanson pitched the ninth for his fourth save in as many opportunities. The Giants used seven pitchers, while the Expos used six.

"That was a tough game," Giants manager Felipe Alou. "I've never seen more conferences and timeouts. It was a long, exciting, but ugly game. The clock stopped so many times it was incredible."

San Francisco's longest winning streak since a seven-game stretch from June 19-28 gave the Giants a half-game lead over the idle Cubs and a one-game lead over the Padres, who lost to the Braves on Monday night, in the Wild Card race. The Giants also moved to within 5 1/2 games of the Dodgers in the Division race.

"Our No. 1 goal is to win the Division, and we're not out of it yet," Hermanson said. "It's going to be tough, but I think we can do it."

Hermanson, who started 18 games before moving into the closer's role, saved his third game in as many days and he thinks he could go another day if needed.

"My arm is bouncing back pretty well," he said. "I'd love to make it four games in a row. I'm just trying to go out there and act like it's another inning. With a three-run lead I just don't want to walk anybody. I want them to put the ball in play."

Rueter lasted 5 1/3 innings, giving up four runs on six hits. He walked two and didn't strike out a batter. He also didn't get the win as the Giants bullpen couldn't pitch out of some tight situations.

Rueter faced the Expos for the first time since pitching eight scoreless innings against them in a 13-0 victory on May 10, 2001, in San Francisco.

Rueter was drafted by the Expos in the 19th round of the 1991 draft, and he made his Major League debut with the team in 1993. He won his first 10 Major League decisions.

After spotting the Expos a 3-0 lead after three innings, the Giants went to work in the fourth, getting two runs on a Grissom double and another two courtesy of Expos starter John Patterson's wildness. With the bases loaded, Patterson walked Ray Durham, then hit Snow with a pitch.

Montreal tied the game, 4-4, in the top of the fifth, but the Giants regained the lead in their half of the inning against reliever Francis Beltran.

Barry Bonds was walked for the 170th time this season. He advanced to second on a wild pitch, then stole third -- his 506th career steal -- without drawing a throw. He scored when Expos shortstop Alex Gonzalez was charged with a fielding error on a Grissom grounder in the hole.

Endy Chavez's sacrifice fly in the eighth tied the game, 5-5.

Scott Eyre made his 300th career appearance a memorable one, striking out Chavez with runners on second and third to end the sixth.

Tyler Walker, Matt Herges and Jim Brower also pitched for the Giants.

Rick Eymer is a contributor to MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.