|
|
The pitcher whose confidence seemed shot in spring training has become the Giants' most dependable starter.
The Jerome Williams who halted the Giants' four-game losing streak with a 5-3
victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday seemed a different man from
the one who hung his head and doubted his ability after being shelled in a Cactus
League game.
ADVERTISEMENT
But in the weeks since, Williams has become the club's stopper. He lasted longer than any Giant this season, pitching five-hit ball through 8 2/3 innings.
Only two Giants starters even have a victory, and Williams (3-1) is the only
one with more than one. Before getting relief for the final out, Williams gave
a beleaguered bullpen a much-needed break and helped the Giants to their first
victory over the Dodgers in five games this season.
"It was a win that will hopefully give these guys confidence," Manager
Felipe Alou said.
Alou could include Williams among them.
"Everybody knows at the end of spring training, I was down," Williams
said. "But I said I was ready to turn the corner. Now, I'm at the corner."
Williams kept the Dodgers off balance with his change-up and off-speed pitches.
In four starts, he has improved each time.
"When you come out of spring training, everybody wants to throw and call
fastballs," pitching coach Dave Righetti said. "And here's this kid
with a four-pitch touch. It's hard to get all those together early. That's kind
of what hurt him."
The control is almost there, Williams said, but even at less than 100 percent,
it gave the Giants an opportunity to win, something they hadn't done in eight
of their previous nine games.
For a change, the Giants got some timely hits: a two-run lined single to right
by Michael Tucker for a 3-0 first-inning lead and a two-run bloop single to
left by A.J. Pierzynski to put the Giants in front 5-1 in the eighth. Entering
the game, starters Tucker and Pierzynski had combined for six RBIs.
Still, the Giants had to hang on, needing help from two relievers to register
the final out.
After holding the Dodgers hitless for five innings, Williams allowed a broken-bat
single to Shawn Green and a two-out, two-run homer to Juan Encarnacion on a
hanging change-up to chase Williams.
"I wanted to finish that game so bad," Williams said.
Instead, Alou went to Felix Rodriguez in an attempt to give closer Matt Herges
a break. But Rodriguez immediately walked Adrian Beltre on four pitches to bring
the tying run to the plate, and Herges was called upon anyway. But this one
went smoother than Friday, when Herges gave up the winning run in the 12th.
He struck out pinch hitter Jose Hernandez to earn his sixth save.
Williams had gone at least six innings in each of his four starts, though that
streak seemed in jeopardy when he took a line drive from Jeff Weaver in his
upper right arm.
"When he got hit, I didn't want to go to the mound," Alou said. "I
didn't want to know."
Williams seemed to be OK, though he promptly gave up consecutive singles by
Dave Roberts and Cesar Izturis. Jason Grabowski lined to first baseman J.T.
Snow for an unassisted double play to end the threat.
Before the game, the mood in the Giants' clubhouse was concern, not chaos after
losing eight of nine. They looked very much like a team of veterans that had
experienced slumps and gotten through them.
"This team's waiting to bust out," reliever Wayne Franklin said. "I
can feel it. Something's going to happen."
Indeed, it did, with a game-opening blast halfway up the right-field pavilion
by Ray Durham on a 1-2 delivery from Weaver.