Game Wrap 9/1/2012: Giants 5 Cubs 2

Brian Sabean likes to talk about "catching lightening in a bottle."  Well, Xavier Nady, in his first AB as a San Francisco Giant, unleashed a bolt down the 3B line in the first inning of today's game with the bases loaded, driving in all 3 runners.  That was the difference in today's ballgame, folks.  Key Lines:

Angel Pagan- 1 for 4, 3B, BB.  BA= .290.  As long as Pagan is getting on base twice in a ballgame, he's doing his job as a leadoff hitter.  He's done that a lot lately.

Buster Posey- 2 for 4.  BA= .330.  Buster played 1B today to rest his legs.  He just kept on hitting!

Hector Sanchez- 1 for 3, HBP.  BA= .263.  Hector drove in the first run with a bases loaded HBP then ran all the way around the bases from first on Nady's double to score the 4'th run of the first inning.

Xavier Nady- 1 for 3, 2B.  BA= .162.  Nady was hampered by a sore wrist early in the season then was released by Washington after rehabbing it in the minors.  He waited for calls and accepted a minor league assignment from the Giants.  He spent a month in Fresno working out the rust in his swing.   Bay Area native, grew up a Giants fan, former Cal Bear.  Today his dream came true.  Stay hot X-man!  Oh, and he even looks a bit like Pat Burrell.

Tim Lincecum-  6.1 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 3 BB, 7 K's.  ERA= 5.21.  Timmy tends to pitch much better with a lead.  Probably most or all pitchers do.  Today, he got one and kept the Cubbies at bay into the 7'th inning.

Bullpen- 2.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K's, Save.   Romo got the Save.  Mijares and Mota got a K each to end a mild threat in the 7'th.  Lopez pitched a scoreless 8'th.

The D'Backs and Dodgers square off again tonight, but you know what?  As long as the Giants win, they don't have to worry about what's on the scoreboard!  As it stands right now, the Giants have a 5 game lead over the Dodgers in the NL West.

Matt Cain tries for a series win and a 5-1 road trip tomorrow facing lefty Travis Wood.