Arizona Diamondbacks made short work of the hot favorites San Francisco Giants by beating them convincingly by a 5-2 margin last Monday night in front of the Giants fans. With this win the D-Backs are closing in on the World Series champion team Giants in the division race. Ian Kennedy was the star performer for the Arizona team as he out struck seven in eight innings to seal the fate of the Giants. The in-form D-backs player Kennedy dominated the defending champions in a clinical performance that left many Giants fans with gloomy faces in the stadium.
The first match of the three match series has gone the D-Backs way and there is no doubt that San Francisco Giants will come with all guns blazing in the second match of the NL west’s top two teams. Kennedy is sharing a 13-3 NL lead tally with Phillies strong man Roy Halladay and Clayton Kershaw of Dodgers. Kennedy is elated with this performance of his and especially the winning start that he has provided the team within this three match series. The Giants poor run in the games off late is catching them like a leech and if they do not make serious changes in their strategies for the next game their championship title will no sooner than later be at stake.
Ross and Aubrey Huff were the only home run scorers for the Giants team. On the other hand, Kennedy allowed two runs, six hits as well as walked one. The entire D-backs team is very happy with the spirited performance of Ian Kennedy and will be banking on him to deliver the goods in the upcoming two matches as well. The D-backs lead-off man Willie Bloomquist in his post match interview told the reporters that he was happy that his team took the first honors in the three match series and this achievement kind of sets the tone for the remainder of the series games. He was very happy for the guy who pitched pretty well in the match.
The D-backs are pretty much aware that they have only beaten the Giants three times in the last 13 encounters. This year their record stands at three games won out of seven played against arch rivals San Francisco Giants. Kennedy and his entire are determined to make adjustments to this record in the next couple of games of the series.
Carlos Beltran was not required during the last season of the MLB as he had a knee injury that kept him away for most part of the season. But, things are turning in his favor this year as he was the most sought after player in the hitter market just before the weeks and days leading to non wavier trade deadline last Sunday. Finally, San Francisco Giants have clichéd him to their side outbidding the efforts of Atlanta braves, Boston Red Sox and the Philadelphia Phillies. Beltran is happy to be in the Giants team and he is determined to take his new team to a World Series title.
Beltran is very much interested in owning the ring and his signing by the Giants was least expected by him. He is currently at 2-17 entering into the Giants team but things can change pretty fast if he gets going. He is waiting to get his hands full for the playoffs. The Giants team is in pretty good form off late and is also on the look out for becoming the first team to consecutively win World Series title, a record that stands in the name of Cincinnati Reds in the year 1975 and 1976. The inclusion of Beltran into the team is solely to defend the World Series title and with dedicated players in their fold Giants is all set to achieve this great glory.
Beltran is happy about the treatment meted to him by his new team. Beltran is looking to explode into the scene in Giants colors and is waiting his chance with baited breath. Beltran, who is currently 34 years old, is not sure whether will be playing in the next season or not. He will be a free agent for the next year. The New York Mets was a good team according to Beltran despite making it only once to the playoff stages.
Beltran is pretty excited to be in the thick of things and never in his widest dreams thought of becoming a high valued player again. Beltran had arthroscopic knee surgery in January 2010 and had to suffer a lot to get back in shape to be playing baseball again. Beltran is pretty happy with his physical condition and is capable of doing all those things that he has been doing in the past. Beltran is waiting for the right moment to seize his place in the starting line up in the Giants team.
An impressive and electrifying performance by the debutant Derrek Lee could not seal victory for his new team Pittsburgh Pirates against the Chicago team last Monday night. The home crowd gave Derrek Lee a standing ovation when he first stepped on to the field in the Pirates jersey. Lee made full use of his new home conditions in the game against Chicago. But unfortunately his teammates did not live up to the expectations of the home fans and finally the team tasted yet another humiliating defeat of 5-3 at the hands of the Chicago team.
Derrek Lee, the newest slugger of the Pirates team, gave some of the most entertaining moments for the Pirates supporters, but the other players in the team did not offer the necessary support to this new player. This loss has made the pirates slip further down in the points table of the National League Central race. Lee said that he was excited to score two home runs for his new team and was pretty much satisfied with his performance. The Pirates have lost six games out of the last ten they have played and will be hoping to stem this miserable run in the near future. The last couple of weeks have seen the Pittsburgh Pirates slump from bad to worse.
The Pittsburgh Pirates manager Clint Hurdle is lost for words these days as he is still not able to figure out what the actual problem with the team is. The team always goes through rigorous practice sessions and their pre match preparations are excellent. But, on the field the players are not able to deliver the goods that will help them seal a win for the team. Hurdle says that the team has hit some turbulence and will have to find a way to escape from this turbulence pretty soon.
The veteran Carlos Zambrano by virtue of this victory by Chicago team has picked up his 13th career win against the Pittsburgh team and is currently the second best active pitchers in the MLB along with Aaron Harang. Zambrano is known for his great play against Pirates and he showed his class in this game also and that too on one of his happy hunting arenas, the PNC Park. Even though Zambrano was a little bit off color in this game, the Pirates were in such miserable form that did not capitalize on the 66 strikes out of 114 pitches thrown by him.
