Post by buwu on Jan 15, 2013 6:59:00 GMT -5
SAN FRANCISCO -- The pitcher with the perfect game ended the franchise-record run of shutouts. Tyson Clabo Jersey . Matt Cain took the mound for his first home start since tossing his gem June 13, and with one pitch his chances of throwing the Giants fifth consecutive shutout were gone. Mike Leake pitched a nine-hitter for his first career complete game and homered off Cain, and the Cincinnati Reds beat San Francisco 5-1 on Friday night. Zack Cozart hit the first pitch of the game from Cain over the wall in left-centre and, just like that, San Franciscos franchise-best shutouts streak ended at four. "First pitch, I was trying to go away and it was middle," Cain said. While Cain has the perfecto to his name, it was everybody else in the rotation -- Barry Zito, Ryan Vogelsong, Tim Lincecum and Madison Bumgarner, in that order -- involved in the remarkable string of shutouts. San Francisco also was the first team in major league history to blank four clubs when the opponent had begun the day in first place. "It was great. It was a good run and Im just sad I didnt keep it going," Cain said. "The guys had done a huge job over the (week) against the Dodgers and last night with Bumgarners performance. I wanted to follow that up, and I didnt do that." Jay Bruce added a two-run double in the first among his four hits to stake Leake (3-5) to a quick cushion as the Reds got to Cain early to snap a four-game road skid. Leake homered with two outs in the sixth, his second of the year. Cain (9-3), pitching at home in sold-out AT&T Park for the first time since tossing the 22nd perfect game June 13 against the Astros, had his career-best eight-game winning streak snapped. The right-hander allowed three runs in the first inning for the first time since June 24, 2010, at Houston. "Every time he goes out there he has no-hitter stuff and right away we jumped him in the first inning and we chipped on a couple more runs after that," Reds manager Dusty Baker said. "When you can score like this, especially when youre the visiting team, it takes a lot of pressure off your pitcher." San Franciscos pitching staff went 36 innings without allowing a run, beginning after Cains start at Oakland last Sunday and lasting until his next outing. It was the longest scoreless innings streak in San Francisco history and second-longest to the franchise mark of 38 accomplished by the New York Giants in 1903 and 33. Bruce also hit an RBI double in the seventh that chased Cain, matching his career high with four hits for the fifth time he has done it. Cains 11 hits in 6 2-3 innings matched his most given up this year and the right-hander lost for the first time in 11 starts since a defeat to Miami on May 1. He allowed five runs, struck out seven and walked one. Leake came out for the ninth and allowed Pablo Sandovals one-out home run before retiring Brandon Belt on a deep fly to centre and striking out Brandon Crawford to end his impressive 111-pitch performance. "Im not huge on complete games but it was nice to get one finally," he said. "Couldnt happen without the defence we had today and the early start that we got in the first inning." Leake escaped the fourth on an inning-ending double play on which Sandoval, trying to break it up, reached his right hand around shortstop Cozarts left leg to trip him up and keep him from turning it. Belt was initially called safe, then Baker raced out to argue. The umpiring crew visited and overturned the call to interference, ending the inning. Manager Bruce Bochy said it was the right call. Sandoval made a legal slide, but the mistake was grabbing Cozarts leg. "I did it," Sandoval admitted with a smile. Brandon Phillips returned to the Reds lineup after he was scratched before Thursday nights series opener because of continuing effects from the blow to the head he received during Wednesdays 8-4 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers. Baker said Phillips passed all concussion tests Friday. Phillips went 1 for 5 with a seventh-inning single and stolen base before scoring on Bruces second double. "He was trying hard to lobby to get back in the lineup," Baker said. Leake singled in the second ahead of his homer. Joey Votto also contributed three hits for the Reds, who finished the first half of this 11-game road trip. NOTES: Leake threw 76 pitches for strikes. His 37 hits over the last three seasons are most by any major league pitcher. ... Cain is 4-2 with a 2.01 ERA in eight home starts. ... A low-hovering blimp cause plenty of uneasiness for those watching it swirl in the wind just above the ballpark and near the centre field light poles early in the game. At first pitch, the wind was 12mph blowing toward centre. ... Baker managed the Giants 2002 World Series runner-up team that will be honoured here Sunday. "Its hard to believe its been 10 years," Baker said. "My son was 3 at the time. Now hes 13." Some players have already begun to arrive, including Benito Santiago and Pedro Feliz. Home run king Barry Bonds is scheduled to attend the festivities. ... Baker is 15-13 as a visiting manager at AT&T Park. ... The Giants called up RHP Brad Penny, signed to a minor league contract May 18 for his second stint with the organization, from Triple-A Fresno. Chris Owens Jersey .C. -- The NFL has announced that Carolina Panthers backup defensive tackle Andre Neblett has been suspended without pay for the first four games of the regular season for violating the leagues policy on performance enhancing substances. Justin Blalock Jersey . He hopped up for each grounder, gloved the ball and chased down Brady as he scampered up the first-base line at Wrigley Field. www.shopnflfalconsgear.com/dominique-franks-jersey/ . The former catcher had his first interview for a big-league job this week when he met with Miami Marlins officials in New York City. Jacquizz Rodgers Womens Jersey .ca, as fans can determine the play that tops em all in the fourth-annual TSN Play of the Year Showdown: Canadian Football Edition. Gonzalez Jersey . The 6-foot-8 White was the 16th overall pick after one season at Iowa State. White suffers from anxiety and fear of flying. He says on Twitter that hes working with the team on an "innovative plan" to balance treatment with the NBA schedule.OTTAWA (CIS) - Miah-Marie Langlois, a basketball player from the University of Windsor, and Brendan Bottcher, a curler from the University of Alberta, were named the CIS female and male athletes of the week on Wednesday. Langlois, a third-year business student from Windsor, Ont., was named the most valuable player of the CIS womens hoops championship for the second straight year after she helped the fourth-seeded Lancers repeat as Bronze Baby champions, in Calgary. The 5-foot-8 point guard recorded a game-high 10 assists in a 94-46 quarter-final win over No. 5 Acadia, was chosen Windsor game MVP in an 81-71 semifinal victory over No. 8 Calgary after she scored a match-high 21 points, and capped off her remarkable weekend with a 17-point, 10-rebound double-double in a 69-53 gold medal win againsst No. Red Tony Gonzalez Jersey. 2 UBC, on Monday night. Prior to the Final 8, Langlois had been named CIS defensive player of the year and a second-team all-Canadian. UBC basketball player Kris Young was also nominated for the womens award. Bottcher, a second-year chemical engineering student from Sherwood Park, Alta., guided the Golden Bears to their first CIS curling title thanks to a 6-1 record in draw play and a dominating 7-1 over Waterloo in the gold medal final. The Alberta skip made 76% of his shots during the tournament en route to second-team all-Canadian status. The triumph wrapped a superb two-month run by Bottcher, who previously captured the Alberta, Canadian and world junior titles, all part of a 42-3 overall mark since mid-January. Waterloo curler Jake Walker was also in the running. ' ' '