GIANTS' SCHMIDT IS UNMATCHED DODGERS' OFFENSE FAILS TO PRODUCE SAN FRAN. 7, DODGERS 3.Byline: TONY JACKSON
Anthony (Antonio) Jackson, best known as Tony Jackson Staff Writer SAN FRANCISCO San Francisco (săn frănsĭs`kō), city (1990 pop. 723,959), coextensive with San Francisco co., W Calif., on the tip of a peninsula between the Pacific Ocean and San Francisco Bay, which are connected by the strait known as the Golden -- Brad Penny Bradley Wayne Penny[1] (born May 24, 1978 in Blackwell, Oklahoma)[2] is a starting pitcher in Major League Baseball for the Los Angeles Dodgers.[3] Early career felt like he had to be perfect Friday night. Not only because he was facing San Francisco's Jason Schmidt Jason David Schmidt (born January 29, 1973 in Lewiston, Idaho) is a Major League Baseball pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers. On December 6, 2006 he, signed with the LA Dodgers,and received a three-year, $47 million contract. , but also because he was facing plate umpire Tim McClelland Timothy Reid McClelland (born December 12 1951 in Jackson, Michigan) is an umpire in Major League Baseball who has worked in the American League from 1983 to 1999 and throughout both leagues since 2000. , one of the league's most respected arbiters. And, apparently, one of its most rigid. ``Anytime you have an umpire behind the plate who is that tight, you have to really pound the (strike) zone,'' Penny said. ``Unfortunately, I left a couple of pitches over the plate. That happens. What hurt me was getting behind in the count. ... When you have a tight strike zone, it's tough to get ahead.'' But after Schmidt had dominated the Dodgers for seven-plus innings, saddling them with a 7-3 loss before a sellout crowd of 42,862 at AT&T Park, there was one thing even Penny had to admit about Schmidt. ``He had that same zone,'' Penny said. ``They were squeezing him, too.'' The difference was Schmidt found a way to adjust. The result was his second outstanding performance against the Dodgers in the past six days. This time, however, Schmidt wasn't pitching against Greg Maddux Gregory Alan Maddux (born April 14, 1966) is a pitcher for the San Diego Padres. He was the first pitcher in Major League history to win the Cy Young Award for four consecutive years (1992-1995), during which he had a 75-29 record with a 1. . And this time, Schmidt didn't have to share the glory with anyone. Especially not Penny. The Giants scratched out a pair of second-inning runs, one on a wild pitch and the other on a sacrifice fly, to take a 2-1 lead from which they never looked back. The light-hitting Omar Vizquel Omar Enrique Vizquel (born April 24, 1967 in Caracas, Venezuela) is a Major League Baseball shortstop playing for the San Francisco Giants. Previously, Vizquel played for the Seattle Mariners (1989-93) and the Cleveland Indians (1994-2004). added a first-pitch, two-run homer in the third -- Penny called it, ``probably the worst pitch I have thrown all year'' -- and the heavy-hitting Shea Hillenbrand Shea Matthew Hillenbrand[1] (born July 27, 1975 in Mesa, Arizona)[2] is a Major League Baseball third baseman. A native of Mesa, Arizona, Hillenbrand attended Mountain View High School there, excelling in both baseball, as a shortstop, and soccer. slammed another two-run shot in the sixth, putting the game away. From there, Schmidt went on cruise control See adaptive cruise control. , and the Dodgers were powerless. ``The big key was he didn't give in,'' said Dodgers right fielder right fielder n. Baseball The player who defends right field. Noun 1. right fielder - the person who plays right field outfielder - (baseball) a person who plays in the outfield J.D. Drew, who struck out to end the third with two men on and managed only a sacrifice fly with the bases loaded and one out in the eighth. ``Even when he got behind (in the count) 2-1, he still pretty much painted the corners. He was definitely locating the ball well. It's tough on an opponent when a pitcher hits his spots like that and doesn't give in to anybody.'' It was the second consecutive loss for the Dodgers (64-58) after they had won 17 of their previous 18. They also lost shortstop Rafael Furcal to right shoulder stiffness after seven innings, a result of the chilly Bay Area weather. Furcal furcal /fur·cal/ (fur´k'l) shaped like a fork; forked. fur·cal adj. Forked. furcal forked. said he felt better after getting treatment, and he might return to the lineup tonight. ``He'll probably be in there,'' manager Grady Little said. The Dodgers maintained their three-game lead in the National League West after San Diego beat Arizona to pull into a second-place tie with the Diamondbacks. Penny (13-6), who came in tied for the NL lead in victories, plodded his way through sixinnings, allowing six earned runs. One of his three walks preceded Vizquel's homer. Schmidt (10-7) actually was more impressive Sunday night at Dodger Stadium, when he allowed only five hits in eight shutout innings. But that performance was overshadowed by Maddux, who threw just 68pitches in eight shutout innings of his own and retired the final 22 batters he faced. That game went to the bullpens, and the Dodgers eventually won it on Russell Martin's walkoff homer in the 10th. This one was over far sooner than that, as Schmidt allowed four hits in 7 1/3 innings. He gave up only one run -- on a right-side grounder by Nomar Garciaparra that scored Furcal in the first -- through the first seven innings. Schmidt left after issuing back-to-back, one-out walks to Jason Repko and Kenny Lofton in the eighth. Reliever Vinnie Chulk, the same guy who had given up Martin's homer in that previous game, then walked Garciaparra to load the bases. Drew's sacrifice fly and Jeff Kent's run-scoring single made it 6-3. But Andre Ethier, representing the tying run against Mike Stanton, flied out just short of the warning track in right-center, ending the threat. tony.jackson@dailynews.com (818) 713-3675 CAPTION(S): photo, box Photo: The Giants' Shea Hillenbrand, left, goes by Dodgers catcher Russell Martin on a sacrifice fly. Marcio Jose Sanchez/Associated Press Box: DODGERS at SAN FRANCISCO - Tony Jackson |
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