Giants Lose Another Series

The score was different but the results were the same, San Francisco lost a one run game for the fifth time in the last six games. Barry Zito and the Giants fell victim to the long ball in their 5-4 defeat at the hands of the Seattle Mariners.

Ken Griffey Jr. got things started for the Mariners in the bottom of the first, when he hit the 616 home run of his illustrious career to put the M's up 2-0.

That's the way things stayed until the Giants took the lead with a three run rally with two outs in the fifth. Eli Whiteside, Aaron Rowand, and Edgar Renteria all had rbi singles to put the Giants up 3-2.

Unfortunately for San Francisco, Zito was not able to keep the lead for long. When Seattle came up to bat in the bottom of the inning, he walked the lead off batter and gave up a single to Ichiro Suzuki. Yuniesky Bettancourt moved the runners up with a sacrifice, and Adrian Beltre came to bat with runners on first and second and only one out. Beltre responded with a three run blast that put Seattle up for good.

Zito finished the game with 6.1 innings pitched, 5 earned runs, 5 walks, and 5 strikeouts. A rather pedestrian effort given his recent success, but still not horrible. He struggled with his command all game, often missing high and away to right handed batters. Missing up in the zone is never a good thing and Barry paid the price in the form of two home runs and tally in the loss column.

Fred Lewis made the game close in the top of the eighth when he hit his second home run in as many days. Mississippi Fred could provide a big boost to the Giants floundering offense if he can continue his power streak.

San Francisco begins a three game series against the Atlanta Braves on Monday afternoon.