|
RECAP
|
BOX SCORE
|
GAME LOG
PITTSBURGH (AP) – Jeff Kent didn't like the hitter's background
at new PNC Park during batting practice, didn't think the ball
would carry even on an 80-degree night. Was he ever wrong.
|  | | Jeff Kent watches his third-inning three-run homer off Ramon Martinez clear the left-field fence at PNC Park. |
Kent tied a career high with seven RBI on a three-run homer and
two doubles and the San Francisco Giants gave their struggling
pitching staff a lift, beating Pittsburgh 11-6 Tuesday night.
"He had a good week in one night, really," Giants manager
Dusty Baker said.
Kent, who hadn't homered in 57 at-bats since April 12, hit a
drive into the left-center seats during a four-run third inning
against Ramon Martinez (0-2). He added a three-run double an inning
later against Terry Mulholland and an RBI double in the seventh.
"We took extra batting practice to get used to the field, and I
was disappointed in it not being a hitter's ballpark," Kent said.
"And with those (greenish) white bushes and evergreens in center
field, it's hard to see the balls coming out of that."
Apparently not.
Once again, Kent enjoyed playing an early May game in Pittsburgh
– he hit for the cycle while going 5-for-5 with five RBI on May 3,
1999, in Three Rivers Stadium.
Maybe the Giants were inspired by Barry Bonds' power show during
batting practice, when he hit two balls into the Allegheny River on
the fly, both estimated at 475 to 500 feet.
It was the only time he got to swing the bat, as the Pirates
walked Bonds four consecutive times before he struck out swinging
in the eighth against reliever Scott Sauerbeck.
But walking Bonds so many times forced them to pitch to Kent,
who went 3-for-4 with a walk and the second seven-RBI game of his
career, the other coming July 24, 1998, against the Reds in San
Francisco.
"They didn't want to pitch to Barry and I kept coming up with
guys on base," Kent said. "I was in a situation where they had to
throw strikes to me."
Martinez, who hasn't lasted past the fifth inning in his four
Pirates starts, got into trouble in the third when Marvin Benard – batting .134 coming into the game – hit a 2-0 pitch over the
center-field fence for his first homer.
Martinez, again fighting with his control, then walked Rich
Aurilia and Bonds before running the count to 2-0 against Kent, who
then hit his fifth homer.
"He didn't give us much, and it's a cause for concern,"
manager Lloyd McClendon said of Martinez, who has an 8.62 ERA.
"But if we're going to make changes, you need alternatives."
The Giants, 6-2 against the Pirates last season, made it 9-2 in
the fourth against Mulholland on Benard's RBI single and Kent's
three-run double. Armando Rios led off the fifth with his third
homer, also against Mulholland.
"You can only walk Barry Bonds so many times and that guy
(Kent) is going to beat you," said Emil Brown, who hit a two-run
homer for the Pirates.
Kirk Rueter (3-2) allowed four runs over seven innings for the
victory as the Giants – who came into the game with an NL-worst
5.46 ERA – won for the second time in seven games.
The Pirates, also pitching thin as three starters recover from
arm injuries, lost their fifth in six games and are 9-15 under
McClendon – the same record as a year ago under Gene Lamont.
Rueter, who had allowed 11 earned runs in 9 1/3 innings in his
previous two starts, shook off Brown's homer in the third and
rookie Craig Wilson's first career homer in the fifth. Wilson's
homer came in his third career at-bat and was his first hit.
"It was good to get the first one out of the way," Wilson
said. "I just wish it had come in a game we won."
John Vander Wal had a two-run double in the eighth against Aaron
Fultz.
Game notes
Rueter's longest previous start this season was 6 1/3
innings against the Dodgers on April 8. ... Kent's next homer will
be his 200th. ... Benard is only 2-for-15 against Martinez, but
both hits are homers. ... The loss was only the ninth in 41 career
decisions in May for Martinez. ... The Giants are 4-6 in a 12-game
stretch against the NL Central. ... Tuesday's game was the first of
20 in as many days for the Pirates.
 Send this story to a friend
| |
RECAPS
Baltimore 3
Tampa Bay 1
Cleveland 13
Kansas City 2
NY Yankees 4
Minnesota 0
Detroit 6
Texas 3
Anaheim 6
Chi. White Sox 4
Toronto 5
Oakland 4
Boston 2
Seattle 0
Cincinnati 7
Los Angeles 6
Florida 4
St. Louis 3
Arizona 8
Montreal 3
Philadelphia 7
Colorado 1
San Francisco 11
Pittsburgh 6
NY Mets 7
Houston 5
Milwaukee 5
Atlanta 3
San Diego 10
Chicago Cubs 3
|
