Anahiem@ San Francisco

[Giants666]

Angels at Giants, Game 2

It was all about the pitchers on Tuesday night. Giants hurlers gave vaunted slugger Vladimir Guerrero a hattrick of strikeouts and Matt Morris had 2 RBI as the San Francisco Giants defeated the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim 3-2.

Morris suffered through some problems early in the game, but was his most effective with runners on base, as the Angels left 10 men on base throughout the game. Only second baseman Adam Kennedy could get a clutch hit against Morris, doubling with catcher Mike Napoli on first to score Napoli and the only run Morris would give up.

But Morris also came around to supply the offense. After getting 3 runs or less of run support in 10 of his 14 starts, Morris doubled with 2 out and 2 on in the 2nd inning, after the Angels John Lackey intentionally walked Eliezer Alfonzo to get to Morris. Both runners scored, and the Giants took a 2-0 lead that they would not relinquish.

The Giants would need at least one more run of support, after the Angels broke through in the 6th to score 1 run against Morris. With 1 out in the 7th inning, Alfonzo doubled into right center past Guerrero, and with 2 out, Randy Winn hit a high Texas Leaguer single that fell in along the line in front of left fielder Garrett Anderson and over third baseman Dallas McPherson.

The run was important, as Napoli homered over the deepest part of the left-center wall in the 8th to bring the game back to just a 1 run deficit.

Thankfully, the rest of the bullpen stepped up, including striking out Guerrero twice to end innings. Jeremy Accardo did it in the 7th, but it was Benitez’s performance in the 9th that electrified the crowd.

Benitez, who has recently expressed some frustration with a seeming lack of confidence in his abilities as closer, got Guerrero to line out loudly to left field in Monday’s win while getting the save. On Tuesday, Benitez was facing the Angels first three batters. After retiring Chone Figgins and Orlando Cabrera, he faced bad Vlad again. This time, Guerrero swung and missed three times and that clinched the save for Benitez.

SFDugout.com Player Of The Game: Benitez is close, but this one has to go to Morris. He wasn’t his most dominating, but he kept the Angels from scoring, which is the name of the game, and then he drove runs in, which is simply a very nice bonus.

Notes: Moises Alou missed his third straight game with back problems...Manager Felipe Alou is considering playing Barry Bonds on Wednesday, although he would normally give Bonds the day off...The Giants have reached an agreement with their 3rd round pick, left handed pitcher Clayton Tanner. Tanner, who graduated this year from Concord’s De La Salle High School, had committed to go to Pepperdine...The Giants and Angels will close out this series, their first meeting since the 2002 World Series, on Wednesday in an afternoon game. Noah Lowry will take the mound for San Francisco, while former Los Angeles Dodger Jeff Weaver will go for the Halos...Anaheim’s starter, John Lackey, started Game 7 of the 2002 World Series against the Giants, and became the first rookie to win a World Series Game 7 since 1909.

[Giants666]

Lowry looking to rebound vs. Angels
Angels (31-40) at Giants (36-35), 12:35 p.m. PT

The Giants hope to reverse pitcher Noah Lowry's recent misfortunes when they hand him the ball at AT&T Park on Wednesday afternoon in the final game of a three-game series with the Angels.
Lowry has allowed a combined seven runs and three home runs in his last two starts. His last outing, he was tagged for five runs on eight hits in only three innings. The left-hander called the outing his worst of the season. It was also his second-shortest performance of the year. The shortest came in his injury-shortened 1 1/3-inning season debut against Atlanta.

While Lowry has been unsuccessful in his last two games, he has also been unsuccessful in what seems to be his personal puzzle of Interleague Play. Lowry, who has donned only a Giants uniform in his four-year career, has only two wins in nine starts against American League teams. He hopes bettering his 0-2 record and .390 opposing batting average against AL teams this season will be enough to motivate him to win Wednesday's game.

In addition to Lowry's attempt at reversing his recent actions, the Giants will look to get their offense on track enough to beat Los Angeles starter Jeff Weaver. In 13 career starts against San Francisco, Weaver is 3-5 with a 5.13 ERA.

One way the Giants will be able to beat the right-hander is by having a strong day from the top of their batting order. Among leadoff hitters throughout the Majors, the Giants' leadoff men rank second in the National League in on-base percentage (.373) and batting average (.294). This season, when there are no runners on base, Weaver has allowed 54 hits and has an opposing batting average of .307.

Pitching matchup
SF: LHP Noah Lowry (2-5, 4.20 ERA)
Lowry called his last outing the worst of the season. After bouncing back from an April injury, Lowry is 1-5 over his last six games and has been trying to recover his rhythm and command.

LAA: RHP Jeff Weaver (3-9, 6.02 ERA)Despite having the second-most loses in the American League, Weaver pitched well enough in recent weeks to hold off his younger brother, Jered, for the final spot in the Angels rotation.

Player to watch
Randy Winn is batting .333 with two homers and two doubles off Weaver. He also sports a .630 slugging percentage off the Angels starter.

[Giants666]

It's 2-1 Giants going into the bottom of the 5th.

[love_that_reefer]

3-2 after a Rivera homer in the 6th.

[Giants666]

3-3 in the top of the 8th..............AcCardo pitching.

[Giants666]

6-3 Angels..........3-run homer by Izturis off of Kline.........bottom of the 9th.

[love_that_reefer]

Giants take the series and I am happy with that. Would have liked a sweep since we got swept the series before but when you got guys out like Alou and Matheny, it's hard. Offense is still a big problem right now. Greene had a nice day at the plate going 3-4 with a RBI, but that was it. We need Alou's presence in this lineup and Sabean needs to be looking for a first baseman.

[Giants666]

And we lost 6-3..............Kline gave up the 3-run bomb..........DAMN IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!