Round Up: Pitching helps San Francisco Giants clinch series 2-1 against Minnesota Twins
Game 1: Giants lost 9-2 to Minnesota Twins for season-high losing streak
The Minnesota Twins overpowered the struggling San Francisco Giants 9-2 in the interleague series-opener, at AT&T Park on Tuesday, June 21 to improve their winning streak to seven games while the Giants lost their season-high fifth-straight game in 2011.
The Giants’ starter Madison Bumgarner had the worst game of the season, allowed eight runs in the top of the first inning and left the game without even completing this inning. It was the first time for him in his two year career that he was forced to less
than an inning of pitching.
The Twins’ batting line-up comprised of some of the brilliant hitters showed their total command over Bumgarner. Joe Mauer, Michael Cuddyer, Delmon Young, Danny Valencia each scored an RBI single while Luke Hughes and Ben Revere each both scored an RBI double.
After this inning, The Twins could not make any run until the ninth inning due to strong back up from reliever Guillermo Mota, Santiago Casilla and Jeff Affeldt. Twins made their ninth run in the last inning when Alexi Casilla launched a dazzling one-run
flat homer to the Giants closer Sergio Romo.
The Giants made one run each in the seventh and the eighth inning. Eli Whiteside launched a homer in the seventh inning and Emmanuel Burris scored an RBI single in the eighth.
Game 2: Giants nip season-high losing streak
As the Giants has received their season-high losing streak, their manager made some changes in the batting line-up but real game was played by the Ryan Vogelsong, who held the opposition to just one-score to take his club into 5-1 series tier.
He allowed just four hits, walked one and struck out three batters over his seven innings to help his club nip their five-game losing streak. With this win, he also took his fifth consecutive win of the season. He received full support from his relievers,
Javier Lopez, Sergio Romo and Brian Wilson, who did not consume any run over their short innings.
At bats, Eli Whiteside led the game off with an RBI double in the second and took it to 3-0 with another RBI in the sixth inning. Aubrey Huff scored fourth run in the seventh inning and Emmanuel Burris, who launched a beautiful homer in the last inning of
the last game, again contributed an RBI single in the eighth inning to take post 5-1 on the board.
The Twins completely lost their batting momentum and made just one run and that too came in the seventh inning when Tsuyoshi Nishioka drove in a single.
Game 3: Tim Lincecum took Giants to perfect retaliation with 2-1 series and game win
Tim Lincecum struck season-high 12 strike-outs as the Giants clobbered the Twins in the second-straight night to take the series and the game by 2-1.
Lincecum allowed just three hits and walked two to earn his sixth win after two consecutive losses. However, with this win, he took him to the top of the list of the pitchers, who have made 10 or more than 10 strike-outs more than three times in 2011. He
has done this four times in this season.
Lopez and Wilson again provided perfect back up. Lopez earned his 12th hold while Wilson achieved the 21st save of the season.
Miguel Tejada made an RBI single in the second inning and Cody Ross played a one-run drive to score two runs. Twins’ Michael Cuddyer scored only run for his club in the last inning.
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