Giants sweep a bad Astros team over the weekend

Posted on May 17, 2010

Brian Wilson #38 of the San Francisco Giants celebrates after the game against the Houston Astros at AT&T Park on May 16, 2010 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Brad Mangin)

 

One of the best things I can say about this year’s San Francisco Giants team is at least they are relevant. People in the Bay Area care quite a bit about this ballclub that wins more games than it loses. Fans are hanging on every pitch, and each loss is followed by hours of complaining phone calls on KNBR about everything from owner Bill Nekom’s bow ties to Pablo Sandoval’s weight.

After the Giants were swept at home last week to the San Diego Padres many fans were ready to abandon the season over cries that the Giants sucked, and it was only May 13! There was still lots of baseball left to be played in the 2010 season and with the hapless Houston Astros coming to town for a three game series over the weekend there was a good chance the Giants would get healthy in a hurry.

Even though they were fresh off their own three game sweep over the powerhouse St. Louis Cardinals on the road, the Astros club that came to town on Friday night was a far cry from the club that made it to the World Series five years ago. I was excited to have the chance to see all three games in person, as I had tickets in my season ticket box seats for the game on Friday night, and I would be shooting the day games on Saturday and Sunday.

Friday night was a great time at the park as the Giants very scary fifth starter Todd Wellemeyer took to the mound for the 7:15 first pitch wearing the new bright orange jerseys the Giants wear for every Friday night home game. Wellemeyer pitched unbelievably well in leading the Giants to an 8-2 laugher over an Astros squad that featured a few guys in their starting lineup whom I had never heard of. I had a great time at the park with my sister Paula and some friends, and drove home that night thinking Saturday could be another good day with Tim Lincecum taking the ball for the Giants in a nationally televised game on FOX.

I got to the park early on Saturday morning hoping to shoot some batting practice, but it was canceled for pre-game activities on the field. Bummer. I had 2 1/2 hours to kill before first pitch. Once the game got going you could tell it was going to be a low scoring affair as Lincecum was grinding out a good start despite not having his best stuff. His opponent Roy Oswalt was dealing, and with the Giants anemic offensive attack I was thinking that Lincecum might lose a 1-0 heart breaker. When Juan Uribe hit a two-run bomb in the middle of the game it was like the Giants were saying, “There’s your two runs kid. Don’t give up any more and we win 2-1.” Easier said than done.

Lincecum did his best by going eight gutty innings before turning things over to closer Brian Wilson who nailed down one of the scariest saves EVER by closing out the 2-1 win by finally retiring Kazuo Matsui with two outs and the bases loaded with the 15th pitch on a 3-2 count in one of most epic battles I have ever seen.

Sunday morning started off better for me as both teams took batting practice so I was able to have fun and shoot many candid portraits of players on both the Astros and Giants under nice and soft overcast light. This time it was Barry Zito’s turn on the mound for the Giants and I was excited to have the chance to photograph him for the first time during the daytime in the 2010 season. Zito pitched a good game, Andres Torres and Aaron Rowand both hit big home runs and Wilson closed out a 4-3 win for the Giants by once again retiring Matsui for the final out of the game with runners on base. Wilson lived life on the edge this past weekend and he let out a rare yell after Matsui swung and missed at strike three (see photo at top).

I had a great time over the weekend watching some good baseball and hanging out with my friends. Shooting the Giants much more fun when they are playing well. As I edited my pictures last night listening to KNBR after the game fans were happy with the sweep (even though it was over the lowly Astros) and excited about the coming week of games. Baseball is a long season. They play every day. As my friend Marty Lurie says, “The baseball season is like a book and every day we get to read a new chapter.” So far I am enjoying reading the book about the 2010 Giants. They are 21-15, just 1/2 game behind the first place Padres. They have many more games to play this season, and I have many more games to photograph. That makes me happy.