The Giants beat the Diamondbacks last night 6-2, and this one was definitely fun to watch. The Giants are pretty much playing must-win games all the time now, but last night’s game was one of the most important must-win games of the season so far. The Diamondbacks came into town 6 games ahead of the Giants in the NL West race and were also riding a 9-game winning streak. The Giants, on the other hand, had a horrible August full with injuries, roster moves, and stress. They had a nice, convincing 4-0 win against the Cubs on the last day of August, so they were hoping to carry this momentum into the upcoming series against the Dbacks.

Usually when the opponent scores first, the Giants struggle to come back. However, in this game, this was not the case at all. In the third inning and down 1-0, the Giants tied the game up on a Jeff Keppinger double, which scored Cody Ross. Carlos Beltran then got his second hit of the night (the first was a triple in the 1st inning), which was a 2-run home run that brought the score to 3-1 Giants. With Matt Cain pitching beautifully last night, I’m sure many thought that a 2-run difference was enough and that we’d be able to easily pull away with a win. With these Dbacks hitting so well recently though, the Giants knew they had to continue to pile on the runs. Matt Cain gave up only 2 runs and really limited the Dbacks’ powerful offense. Later on, in the 5th inning, Beltran struck again with a single to score Matt Cain and bring the score to 4-2. Then in the 7th inning, Cody Ross hit a 2-run home run to get to the final score of 6-2. Beltran finished the night 4-4 with a triple, home run, and 2 singles.

This game brought life back into AT&T Park, and, more importantly, it brought life back into the clubhouse. This was a critical win for the Giants and it brought them to 5 games back in the NL West race. The Giants need to continue to take it one game at a time and not try to rush anything. The Giants had great luck in September last year and hopefully that trend continues.

Top 3 plays from the game:
(click on each picture to see video replay)

1. Cody’s Amazing Catch in the 8th Inning

 

 

 

 

2. Beltran’s 2-Run Home Run in the 3rd Inning

 

 

 

 

3. Cody Ross’ 2-run Home Run in the 7th Inning