Jonathan Sanchez squares up against Chad Billingsley in the second game of the season.
Both pitchers have a reputation of having lots of talent mixed with lots of inconsistency. Both have the stuff to beat anybody on any given night.
In 5 starts against the Giants in 2010 Billingsley posted a 2-1 record with a fantastic 0.74 ERA while holding the Giants to a .160 batting average.
The Giants appear to have their work cut out for them tonight.
1st Inning – Top
On a 1-1 pitch Torres beats out a perfectly placed bunt the Billingsley is not able to field on a do or die attempt. This is the type of play I love to see. This will keep the Dodger infielders on their toes the rest of the night whenever Torres bats.
Billingsley hits Sanchez with the first pitch with pitch that looks to barely graze Sanchez on his uniform near his waist.
On an 0-1 pitch Huff hits a soft grounder to Loney who throws to second to erase to Sanchez.
The Giants have a good scoring opportunity with 1 and 3 and 1 out with Posey at bat.
On a 2-2 count Posey has to protect on an outside pitch and grounds fairly sharply into a 6 4 3 inning ending double play.
Billingsley gets out of the jam throwing only 11 pitches
1st Inning – Bottom
Furcal lead off by hitting bloop single to right field on a 1-1 pitch. This is a ball that landed 3 feet in from of Huff. In my opinion Cody Ross could have made the catch. The Burrell and Huff outfield has already played a part in this game.
Before the first pitch to De Jesus, Sanchez picks off Furcal with an excellent move to first.
Sanchez makes De Jesus look bad on a three pitch strikeout getting to chase a slider in the dirt.
Sanchez strikes out Either swinging on a well placed 1-2 fastball on the outside corner.
Sanchez looks sharp in a 10 pitch first inning.
2nd Inning – Top
On an 0-2 Burrell grounds out on a routine grounder to short.
Billingsley strikes out Sandoval swinging with a excellent 0-2 slider on the inside corner.
On an 0-1 pitch Belt hits a weak 2 hopper and is retired unassisted by Loney.
Billingsley looks to have good stuff tonight. He has made it through the second inning throwing only 19 pitches.
This appears to be setting up to be another low scoring game.
2nd Inning – Bottom
Sanchez strikes out Kemp on 4 pitches with a sharp breaking slider in the dirt.
On a 1-2 pitch Thames singles on to 2nd baseman Freddy Sanchez on a broken bat infield hit.
On a 1-0 pitch Loney hits a routine fly ball to Torres for out number two.
On a 1-2 pitch Barajas inside outs a pitch into right center field just over the head of second baseman Freddy Sanchez.
Jonathan Sanchez has been victimized by a couple of bloop hits so far this inning.
On a 2-2 pitch Sanchez strikes out Miles on a pitch well off the outside corner of the plate.
Sanchez pitched well stranding the two runners.
Sanchez looks sharp with 4 Ks on 30 pitches through 2 innings.
3rd Inning – Top
On a 1-2 pitch Tejada grounds out sharply third to first. Billingsley left the ball hanging over the middle of the plate and appeared to be fortunate Tejada did not hit is harder.
Jonathan Sanchez strikes out on 4 pitches on a high outside 93 MPH fastball.
Torres lines the first pitch of the at bat into left field for a single.Good piece of hitting by Torres hitting a good pitch that was on the outside corner.
With Freddy Sanchez hitting on a 2-2 count Barajas just misses picking off Torres with a snap throw to first.
Sanchez draws a walk on a 3-2 pitch. Good plate appearance by Freddy.
On an 0-2 count Billingsley strikes out Huff looking on a great fastball on the inside corner.
3rd Inning – Bottom
Sanchez looks wild walking Billingsley on 5 pitches to lead off the inning.
Sanchez bounces back striking out Furcal on 5 pitches.
Sanchez walks De Jesus after an 8 pitch at bat.
Sanchez has reverted to his 2010 erratic postseason form.
Either fly’s out sharply to right on the first pitch advancing Billingsley to third.
Sanchez is one out away from pitching out of the jam.
Kemp hits an 0-1 pitch into into the left field gap. The ball bounced on the warning track an into the seats for a ground rule double driving in Billingsley.
This appears to be a ball a better left fielder may have been able to catch. I hope I am not being too critical of Huff and Burrell in the outfield. But most fans agree they are both below average fielding outfielders at this point in the careers.
That being said Sanchez is not doing himself any favors with his inability to consistently throw quality strikes.
Thames strikes out chasing a high fastball intentionally thrown out of the strike zone.
Sanchez his thrown 54 pitches in three innings.
After 3 innings the Dodgers lead 1-0
4th Inning – Top
Posey leads off the inning hitting a solid single just in front of a diving Either in right field. Great attempt by Either. Nice piece of hitting by Posey.
Good at bat by Burrell working the count to 3-2. Burrell battles though a 7 pitch at bat before flying out to medium depth left field.
Sandoval has a nice 6 pitch at bat fouling off 4 straight pitches before singling sharply up the middle. Nice to see Sandoval battle a tough pitcher.
On a 2-0 pitch Brandon Belt blasts his first major league homer to dead center driving in Posey and Sandoval.
Billingsley retires Tejada and Sanchez but damage is done with the 3 run homer by Belt.
Nice inning by the Giants hitters. Liked the patience I saw from Burrell and Belt. Like the way Sandoval battled.
Bottom of the 4th Giants 3-1
4th Inning – Bottom
Would like to see a shutdown inning by Sanchez.
Loney grounds out weakly to Belt unassisted on a 1-0 pitch.
Barajas walk after working the count to 3-2.
Miles fly’s out to deep left center on a 0-1 pitch.
Sanchez strikes out Billingsley with a nice slider just off the outside corner.
Nice shutdown inning for Sanchez. Did not like seeing the walk to Barajas.
5th Inning – Top
Billingsley retires Torres, Sanchez and Huff in order on 12 pitches. Nice bounce back inning. Billingsley is at 79 pitches after 5 innings.
Billingsley is making Huff look bad tonight.
5th Inning – Bottom
Sanchez retires Furcal, De Jesus and Either in order on 11 pitches in the 5th.
Nice inning through the top of the order for Sanchez.
6th Inning – Top
Billingsley retires Posey and Burrell in order to lead off the sixth. But both grind out nice 6 pitch at bats bringing Billingsley’s pitch count up to 91.
Sandoval hits first pitches to Thames in left who drops it for an error allowing Sandoval to reach first.
Belt hits the first pitch for a sharp grounder to Loner who has it deflect to second baseman De Jesus who throws back to Loney to end the inning.
Another hard hit ball by Belt.
6 Inning – Bottom
Kemp leads off the inning with a single to center.
Thames grounds out Sandoval to Belt. On the ground out Kemp runs hard from first to third barely beating the return throw from Belt.
Is it a good hustle play or a bad decision he got a away with?
In my opinion he is already in scoring position with the tying run at the plate so I would lean more to ill advised. It’s never smart to make an out on the base paths when the tying run is coming to the plate in the late innings.
Loney fly’s out to Huff in left field driving in Kemp.
Barajas hits a solid single to left over Sandoval’s head.
Miles singles on a swinging bunt to Sandoval at third. Sandoval makes a wild throw past Belt at first allowing Barajas to advance to third and Miles to advance to second.
Visit makes a quick visit to the mound. I am guessing Bochy is telling Sanchez to get him one more out so he can pinch hit for him in the 7th. Bochy obviously does not want to waste a relief pitcher in the 6th when he will pinch hit for him in the 7th.
Giminez hits a swinging bunt towards third that is bobbled by Sanchez allowing Barajas to score the tying run.
The decision to leave Sanchez in for one more batter proves costly. Sanchez is releived bu Guillermo Mota.
The Giants defense has been terrible the first two games of the season. When you are playing bad defense balls seem to find the wrong guys at the wrong time.
Mota throws a 1-0 pitch right down the middle and Furcal lines into right field driving Miles in and giving the Dodgers a 4-3 lead.
Mota strikes out De Jesus to end the inning.
This was definitely a nightmare inning for the Giants.
7th Inning – Top
Top 7th – Inning.
Blake Hawksworth is now pitching for the Dodgers
Tejada leads off the inning dropping down a perfect bunt down the third baseline. Miles tries to let it roll foul but it stays just on the grass. I love these types of plays.
Mike Fontenot pinch hits for Jonathan Sanchez
On a 1-2 pitch Fontenot grounds softly to Loney who throws wide to Furcal at second forcing out Tejada. It appeared Furcal may not have had his foot on the bag when he caught the ball. Teajada disputed the call but did not put up much of an argument.
Torres strikes out on three pitches.
It’s up to Freddy Sanchez if the Giants are going to score in the 7th.
Freddy keeps the inning alive with a solid single to left.
Aubrey Huff draws a 5 pitch walk.
Buster Posey strikes out on a 3-2 pitches. His bat fly’s out of his hands into the stands and appeared to strike a Dodger fan.
Hopefully the fan will be okay.
7th Inning – Bottom
Dan Runzler making his first appearance of the year on the mound for the Giants.
Runzler gets Either, Kemp and Thames in order on 7 pitches in the 7th. Nice inning for Runzler.
8th Inning – Top
Matt Guerrier now on the mound for the Dodgers
Guerrier strikes out Shierholtz on three pitches.
Sandoval in Panda reaches for a pitch low and outside and hits a ground ball single to center field.
Brandon Belt has another good at bat hitting sinking line drive to center that Kemp made a sliding catch on.
Tejada pops out to left field on a weak fly ball.
Another good at bat for Belt even though the ball did not drop. Good catch by Kemp.
8th Inning – Bottom
Runzler back out for the 8th inning.
Sandoval makes a nice running catch in foul territory down the left field line to retire Loney to lead off the inning.
I like what I am seeing out of the thinner Sandoval in the first two games.
Barajas flies out to Huff in left field and Miles grounds out Sandoval to Belt to end the inning.
Very nice outing for Runzler
9th Inning – Top
Jonathan Broxton on the mound.
De Rosa leads off the 9th pinch hitting for Runzler and looks fooled as he takes a called third strike right down the middle.
Torres flies out to Either who makes a running catch in right field
Freddy Sanchez is the last hope for tonight. Sanchez pops to Loney to end the game.
Broxton earns an easy 9 pitch save and drops the Giants to 0-2 for 2011.
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