WSG1: Rangers doubled to death, lose Game 1 11-7

Well, that was disappointing. The big huge pitching matchup between Cliff Lee & Tim Lincecum didn’t materialize, at least not long term, anyway. Through four it was a good pitching duel, not one of those stellar “both guys going after a no hitter” kind. Through four, it was a respectable 2-2 score. But neither was “on”. Cliff Lee wasn’t getting behind guys, and Lincecum was mostly hittable.
One of the more cool early moments was a double that split the outfielders by CLIFF LEE. Cliff Lee wields the boomstick (well, OK, maybe not THAT powerful), and I got a major laugh out of the entire dugout trying to get him to do the claw once he got to second. Doesn’t appear that he ACTUALLY did it, but it was some funny video.
That was pretty much the end of the good times for Lee. He struggled with command, which was unusual, and when we got to the bottom of the fifth, the wheels fell off. Big time. The Giants put a big old ugly six spot on the scoreboard, which was accentuated by a three run home run by Juan Uribe. Technically O’Day gave that up, but it did score all the inherited runners Cliff Lee left out there. Lee’s final line was 4.2 IP, 104 P, 8H, 1B, 7K, 7R, 6ER. Not a good line at all. He labored big time – for him to throw over 100 pitches and not get out of the fifth inning is highly unusual.
An awful lot of the Giants offense was doubles. They had 14 hits in all, and seven of them were doubles. The first two were early on in the game and both hit in Vlad Guerrero’s position in right. I don’t think those balls hit his way were impacted by it being him vs Cruz out there. That’s not the same case later on – he botched a few plays. One of them was called a double, and should have been an error. The Rangers had four doubles of their own, but it was overshadowed by SF’s doubles, including a few of them that came back to back.
Four errors by Texas. Ugh. That was just ugly. Six errors in all in the game, one of the more sloppy World Series games I’ve seen. If it wasn’t my team in the World Series, I probably would have bailed out on the game as it wore on. We did make some noise late, but the momentum I think we gained by scoring two in the sixth to make it 8-4 at the time was wipe out when Kinsler got an infield single, but had another bonehead running play, turning towards second and being trapped – was tagged out. That was the game for me right there.
We did make some noise late, scoring three in the top of the ninth to make it just a four run final score, but we were pretty much outhit. Something I don’t think ANYONE expected. Even Giants fans.
Hoping for far better things out of Game 2. I’ll be there. I just don’t really want to come home down 0-2. That would be bad. I think most everyone would be happy with 1-1, because as happened in the Yankees series, I don’t think any expected us to sweep out there to start the series, so coming home 1-1 is pretty decent.
Here’s my list of in game notes (which became less frequent once we started playing more awful):

• Why do they keep pronouncing Andrus’ name wrong?
• Elvis is first player in World Series history named that.
• Elvis has hit in every postseason game to this point.
• Why is Guerrero being booed?
• My baby clapped on his own when the Rangers scored their first run.
• Thanks to Lincecum for not throwing the ball!
• Ok, only scored 1 with bases loaded against Lincecum in first. Never like omens like that.
• First batter was a kc for lee. Good sign.
• 12 pitch first for Lee. Faced only three. Inning ended on a really awesome dp popup catch by Kinsler.
• CLIFF LEE! double!
• Shot of the dugout trying to get Lee to do the claw was hysterical!
• Buck & McCarver did not do their homework. That is NOT what the claw is!
• Watching Molina run home on the sac fly, all i could think of was Chris Berman’s “Rumbling bumbling stumbling”.
• That’s the Pat Burrell I know. Swing and a miss at a ball down and away. Juando had the same problem.
• 3ks for Lee thru 2.
• Giants have 2 2b through 2,both in Vlads direction. Don’t think Cruz would have made a difference that way.
• That foul out by Lincecum in the 3rd so didn’t go anywhere. If fact, I thought it was in the stands, Molina didn’t move at all.
• Giants get momentum after tying game, have 2 on, and then Burrell strikes out again.
• Lee comes back after bump to get two in a row with a called k. Pitch count a bit too high.
• Moreland looked bad 1st at bat, and most of second until he connected for a double that almost split the outfielders for a triple.
• Cliff Lee beats out Uribe on a 10 pitch K. Wont help the pitch count.
• Through 4.1, Giants have 5 hits. Four are doubles.
• Six hits, five are doubles. Three by Sanchez.
• Lee is out after 4.2 IP, with 5 runs in, two men on, and 105 pitches. Wow. Giants were 5-10 with RISP.
• Ouch O’Day. I mean OUCH!
• What a mess this 5th is. Error by Elvis, too.
• Breaking up the shutdown is good. Wad Molina too, with a double, scoring Kinsler, who walked.
• Hit Lincecum with another batted ball. Inning continues.
• After that, Murphy PH, gets RBI single to right to make it 8-4. Lincecum out.
• Ogando looked good in his inning. Probably coming back.
• After Burrell k’ed for the third time,he was pulled for defense.
• Ogando was better in his second inning, and Molina got a caught stealing.
• Way to fall asleep running Kinsler.
• Guerrero looks awful in right in the 8th.
• Generous scoring decision saves Vlad from second error in inning. Gives SF their 7th 2B of the night.