Giants Consider Themselves a Big Hit

L.A. Times Archives

April 28, 1997 12 AM PT

From Associated Press

Some might say San Francisco has been winning without hitting. But the Giants see it differently.

They proved their point once again Sunday in defeating the Astros, 3-2, at Houston for their 12th victory in 14 games.

The Giants are ninth in the National League in hitting (.237) and scoring, but the pitching staff has a 2.57 earned-run average. So is there a problem with the hitting?

“I don’t think so,” San Francisco Manager Dusty Baker said. “I think we’re playing good baseball. To have a chance to win in this game, at least one facet or more has to be together. Whether it’s pitching and defense or you’re outscoring the other teams or whatever. Right now, we have good pitching and defense and we’re getting hits when we need them.”

Glenallen Hill, who hit his third home run in the first inning, also sees nothing missing.

“As far as I’m concerned, I think we have a great team,” Hill said. “We’ve done the small things all year. The pitching staff is outstanding. The bullpen has been tremendous and we’ve had timely hits. I don’t think you can ask any more.

“Slowly but surely our key guys are getting going. When we have our offense, defense and pitching all rolling, I expect a lot of good things from this team,” he said.

Barry Bonds is also starting to come around. He’s hitting only .246, but he followed Hill’s homer with one of his own.

“I’m hitting the ball hard,” Bonds said. “I hit it hard [Saturday] and just right at people. That’s just baseball. I don’t worry about that.

“We’re winning now and that’s what counts. We’re pitching well and getting timely hits so there’s no problem.”

Osvaldo Fernandez (3-1) got the victory, going six innings and giving up six hits with three strikeouts and one walk. Rod Beck pitched a perfect ninth for his 11th save in as many opportunities.

The Astros have dropped two of three games, losing a home series for the first time this season.

St. Louis 6, Colorado 2--Donovan Osborne gave up one hit in seven innings at St. Louis to win for the first time this season as the Cardinals ended the Rockies’ team-record eight-game road winning streak.

Osborne (1-2), who gave up five hits and struck out six, had pitched at least six innings and given up only two runs in each of his previous three starts.

“That’s going to come,” said Osborne about a lack of run-support in his previous starts. “My job is to keep the other team as low-scoring as possible, and that’s what happened today.”

Delino DeShields and Ray Lankford had two-run singles in a five-run second inning. Lankford is hitting .421 since returning from the disabled list Tuesday.

Rockie starter Mark Thompson (3-1), who had not pitched since April 15 because of a sore right shoulder, gave up five runs and six hits in 1 2/3 innings.

Pittsburgh 7, Chicago 0--Jason Schmidt held the Cubs hitless until the sixth inning, and Kevin Elster and Jose Guillen hit home runs to lead the Pirates at Chicago.

Schmidt (1-1), whose start was delayed two days because of flu, did not give up a hit until Dave Hansen singled with one out in the sixth.

“I was a little nervous because I knew I was coming off the flu and I didn’t know if I’d be weak or strong,” Schmidt said. “Once I got out there, I felt a little wild at the start, but I got back.”

Schmidt gave up three hits in 6 2/3 innings. He walked five and struck out three. Schmidt also got his first extra-base hit in the majors, a run-scoring double in the seventh.

“He pretty much shut us down,” Chicago Manager Jim Riggleman said. “A couple of times we were on the verge of getting to him but he made the necessary pitch.”

Ricardo Rincon and John Ericks finished with two-hit relief for the Pirates.

New York 5, Montreal 3--Rey Ordonez had a two-run single in the 10th inning at Montreal as the Mets ended the Expos’ six-game winning streak.

Ordonez’s hit came off Lee Smith, who was making his 1,000th relief appearance.

Todd Hundley had a leadoff single against Smith (0-1) in the 10th and Alex Ochoa singled with one out. Manny Alexander’s infield hit loaded the bases and Ordonez, who earlier had an RBI single, hit a chopper past second baseman Mike Lansing.

“I made some decent pitches and they hit them,” said Smith, who had not given up a run in his first eight games for the Expos. “They have major league players on the other side, too. You just have to know in the major leagues, you can make good pitches and still get hit.”

Greg McMichael (1-2) struck out a career-high six in three shutout innings of relief. John Franco pitched a scoreless 10th for his fourth save.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

BESTS OF THE DAY

BATTING

Player: Kevin Elster

Team: Pittsburgh

Performance: 3 for 4, solo home run, two-run double

Team’s Result: Win

Player: Glenallen Hill

Team: San Francisco

Performance: 2 for 4, solo home run

Team’s Result: Win