In 2012, Hunter Pence rallied the Giants when they faced elimination in Cincinnati. Can he rally the 2014 team out of their mid-season slump? No. But he can help.
The Cardinals are in town for a three-game series. Last night the Giants took game one.
Pence was locked in. Even before the game started. He prowled the sidelines during batting practice like a centaur preparing for battle.
And Tim Lincecum turned in his second straight Freak show, throwing eight innings of shutout ball.
The turning point in the game was the fourth inning. With no one out and bases loaded in the top of the fourth, Lincecum cooly struck out the next two batters and got the third on a groundout.
Pence led off the bottom of the fourth with a single. Buster Posey followed with a double, bringing home Pence. Followed by the Panda’s career homer number 100.
Then Pence again in the fifth, doubling home Juan Perez.
Then Pence again in the sixth, a running back-handed catch on a hard-hit ball to triples alley.
And a team that badly needed a win finally got one.
Better days ahead?
