San Francisco Giants: Regular season results – MLB April 2011
Achieving an impressive 22-13 win-loss record in the spring training season, San Francisco Giants were hoping to give similar results in the regular season as well. However, they made a very shaky start to their first four match series against Los Angeles
Dodgers, losing three out of four games to let their rivals claim a comfortable series victory.
After losing the opening two games, the Giants made stunning comeback in game three of the series to restore some of their lost pride with a huge 10-0 victory. Matt Cain earned his first against the Dodgers after going winless in his previous 14 starts to
lift the Giants to a memorable win.
"He's always been tough, but it seems like over the last couple of years, he's been using more of his pitches and he's turned into a handful," Dodgers’ manager Don Mattingly said of Cain.
However, the Giants failed to capitalise on the psychological advantage in the final game, which concluded a disastrous series 1-3 series result for them. Bruce Bochy and his men were still determined and they aimed to fight back strongly in their next series
against San Diego Padres. Although they lost the first game of their two match series against the Padres, the Giants showed amazing determination and mental strength to clinch a much needed win in second game to level the series at 1-all.
Tim Lincecum was absolutely brilliant in the pitching department as he struck-out 12 and allowed only one run and three hits in seven innings to take the defending Champions to their second win in six games.
"Everybody kind of relaxed and just kind of went back to playing ball the right way, with a positive mentality," Lincecum said.
"He certainly pitched great today," manager Bruce Bochy said. "He's a special talent, this kid, and he showed it again today."
The Giants earned their first series victory of the month against St. Louis Cardinals as they won the first two games of a three match series. In game two, Miguel Tejada produced his first game winning hit for the World Series Champion Giants. The right
hander hit a two run double with two outs in the ninth innings as the Giants rallied past Cardinals.
The Giants continued their decent form in the series against Los Angeles Dodgers, Arizona Diamondbacks, Colorado Rockies and Pittsburgh Pirates to improve their win-loss record 13-13, which was a significant achievement considering the kind of start they
had to their regular season campaign.
San Francisco is not to be underestimated, as they are the defending World Series Champions. The team looked as if they were starting to find their rhythm at the start of the regular season.
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