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Saturday, Sep. 23 4:05pm ET
D-Backs win opener 7-5 | |||||
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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- These aren't the same Giants, and it isn't even the same ballpark. But Matt Williams is still fondly connected to San Francisco. Williams, who played for the Giants from 1987 to 1996 when they played in blustery Candlestick Park, hit a three-run home run as the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the San Francisco Giants 7-5 in the first game of a day-night doubleheader Saturday. "It's nice to be able to contribute," said Williams, who has remained as humble as when he was a Giant. "I don't like him beating on us," Giants manager Dusty Baker said. "But Matty will always be one of my favorite guys." He's a crowd favorite, too. Even though Williams' home run put the Diamondbacks up 7-1 in the fifth inning, the crowd at Pacific Bell Park gave him a warm round of applause. "They have good fans here," Williams said afterward. "There weren't as many at Candlestick, but the ones we had were loyal." Luis Gonzalez hit a three-run home run into San Francisco Bay and added an RBI double for the Diamondbacks, who beat San Francisco for the second straight game after the Giants clinched the NL West title with an 8-7 win in the series-opener Thursday. Baker rested regulars Barry Bonds, Jeff Kent, J.T. Snow and Rich Aurilia as the team gears up for the playoffs. All four entered the game late as pinch hitters. Arizona began the day in second place in the wild card race, six games behind the New York Mets. Geraldo Guzman (4-4), who has spent the season up and down from the minor leagues, allowed three runs and four hits over 5 2/3 innings. He struck out four and walked two. Shawn Estes (15-6) got off to a bad start, walking Danny Bautista and Jay Bell to start the game before giving up the three-run shot to Gonzalez. The ball went way over the right-field wall and splashed into McCovey Cove. It was the eighth time this season a ball has made it into the bay on the fly: Todd Hundley had a splash hit on June 30, and Bonds has the other six. It was Gonzalez's career-best 28th homer this season. Baker, rather than pitching coach Dave Righetti, visited Estes on the mound. Visibly shaken, he got the next two outs before giving up a single to Williams. Danny Klassen flew out to right to end the inning. "I got a little taken out of my game there in the first inning," Estes said. "A team like that, especially Gonzalez, there's not really room for error." The Giants narrowed it to 3-1 in the third. Calvin Murray walked, Ramon Martinez singled, and Felipe Crespo grounded into what appeared to be a double play. But first baseman Greg Colbrunn's throw to second to catch Martinez was wild, and Murray scored. Gonzalez's double in the fifth inning gave him 100 RBI for this season. He scored Bautista, who doubled to lead off the inning. Colbrunn walked and an out later Williams hit his three-run shot into the left-field bleachers. "Unfortunately for us, it's too late," Gonzalez said. Damon Minor hit a two-run home run for the Giants in the sixth inning off Guzman. Ramon Martinez added a two-run single in the ninth off Matt Mantei, who got his 16th save. Baker said he had been prepared to use his starters all along, if needed. "I knew which guys I wanted to bring in. I told them to get loose in the sixth inning," he said. "Sparky Anderson used to do that in double headers." Estes allowed seven runs on six hits over five innings, with seven strikeouts and four walks. Game notesHad the Diamondbacks lost, it would have assured the Atlanta Braves at least a wild card spot. ... Bonds, set to play in Saturday night's game, needs four more home runs to reach Willie Mays' franchise record 52. ... The Diamondbacks have won just eight of 21 games this month. ... Williams has a six-game hitting streak. ... Arizona's victory evens the season series between the two teams at four games apiece. | ALSO SEE Baseball Scoreboard Arizona Clubhouse San Francisco Clubhouse RECAPS NY Yankees 13 Detroit 8
Arizona 7
San Francisco 9
Milwaukee 5
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