S.F. roars back in 13th to beat Diamondbacks

0 Comments | Oakland Tribune, May 28, 2003 | by Josh Suchon, STAFF WRITER

SAN FRANCISCO -- It just wouldn't be a normal series between the San Francisco Giants and Arizona Diamondbacks if something outrageously goofy or completely abnormal didn't occur.

Maybe it's walking Barry Bonds with the bases loaded (May 28, 1998). Maybe it's Randy Johnson putting on a Giants cap after a bench- clearing fight (April 16, 1999). Maybe it's the D'backs winning 1-0 in 18 innings (May 29, 2001), a day after winning 2-1 in 12 innings.

Maybe it's the Giants beating Johnson and Curt Schilling in consecutive games (Aug. 30-31, 2002) or reliever Felix Rodriguez starting a winning rally with a bouncer off the plate using a batting helmet three sizes too small (July 6, 2002).

The latest came Tuesday night, whenArizona made three errors in the ninth inning, including two on a play with the baserunning blooper for the ages by Ruben Rivera, which delayed a Giants victory by four innings.

It finally ended in the 13th inning, after the D'backs scored one in top half of the frame, when Marquis Grissom hit a slicing double off the right-field wall for an improbable Giants 4-3 victory before 36,693 fans.

Rodriguez (2-0) allowed the run in the 13th on a Steve Finley single and a Matt Williams double.

Matt Mantei (4-3) took the loss. He walked Rich Aurilia and Pedro Feliz around two strikeouts. Grissom jumped on a 2-1 fastball, and the hard bounce off the wall made it next to impossible for David Dellucci to get the ball back into the infield.

The Giants had runners at first and third with nobody out in the 12th inning and couldn't score. Barry Bonds, who returned to the lineup a day sooner than expected, was walked intentionally, and Benito Santiago lined out for the final out.

After Bonds intentional walks this year, the Giants are 0-for-17 (with four walks).

The genesis of Rivera's baserunning play for the Hall of Shame originated when Andres Galarraga hit a routine grounder that went through Arizona shortstop Tony Womack's glove with one out in the bottom of the ninth.

Rivera pinch-ran for Galarraga, and Grissom hit a flyball to deep right-center. Rivera touched second base and rounded it, then touched second and headed back to first, thinking it would be caught.

When he saw right fielder David Dellucci drop the ball, he headed to third, but went through the infield grass.

Rivera realized he needed to touch second base again, took a step toward second, stopped for some reason, started back to third, stopped again, and went back finally to touch second base. When he got to the base, Grissom was already there.

When Rivera finally headed to third for good, he was going to be out by a longshot. But the relay by second baseman Junior Spivey was low, and third baseman Alex Cintron couldn't scoop it up.

The ball scooted away, not very far, and Rivera tried to score for some reason. Clearly out of gas, Rivera was out by plenty at home.

If you were scoring at home: 9-4-5-6-2 to retire Rivera. The errors went to Dellucci for dropping the flyball and Spivey for the throw to third.

Rivera's mishap cost Jason Schmidt the chance at a well-deserved victory.

Schmidt's performance was the epitome of what an ace is supposed to do for his team when times are tough. He carried them on his shoulders, while a slumping offense tried to scratch together enough runs.

Schmidt gave up two early runs but settled into another groove and went nine innings. He allowed just three hits, walked one and struck out six in 121 pitches (40 came in the first two innings).

In the eighth, the Giants trailed 2-1 when Durham chopped an infield single off lefty Mike Myers. Bonds was walked on five pitches, but it wasn't semi-intentional.

Then came Mike Koplove, and the Giants scratched home their run. Santiago hit an infield chopper that was too slow for a double play, moving Durham to third.

J.T. Snow hit a flyball to left field that was easily deep enough to score the speedy Durham against the below-average arm of Gonzalez.

How they scored

Diamondbacks second: Dellucci tripled. Grace grounded out. On Schmidt's wild pitch, Dellucci scored. Diamondbacks 1, Giants 0.

Diamondbacks third: With two outs, Cintron homered. Diamondbacks 2, Giants 0.

Giants fifth: Cruz singled. Schmidt sacrificed Cruz to second. Grissom struck out. Perez singled, Cruz scored. Diamondbacks 2, Giants 1.

Giants eighth: Durham singled. Bonds walked, Durham to second. Koplove pitching. Santiago grounded into fielder's choice, Durham to third, Bonds out. Snow hit a sacrifice fly, Durham scored. Giants 2, Diamondbacks 2.

Diamondbacks 13th: With one out, Finley singled. Barajas flied out. Williams doubled, Finley scored. Diamondbacks 3, Giants 2.

Giants 13th: With one out, Aurilia walked. Cruz struck out. Feliz walked, Aurilia to second. Grissom tripled, Aurilia and Feliz scored. Giants 4, Diamondbacks 3.