Even with a head cold, Tim Lincecum was able to reduce the Giants’ magic number for making the postseason down to three games.
Despite being sick Wednesday night, the Giants’ ace allowed just one run over seven innings and struck out 11 in a 3-1 win over the Diamondbacks. He allowed a home run to Stephen Drew on the first pitch of the ballgame, but then settled in to dominate Arizona’s strikeout-friendly yet dangerous lineup the rest of the way. Unless he’s needed in a playoff-clinching start on Sunday or Monday, “The Freak” will finish the regular season with a 16-10 record and a 3.43 ERA.
Offensively, Pat Burrell took Arizona starter Ian Kennedy deep for a three-run shot in the fourth inning to give the Giants all the runs they would need. The 33-year-old has been rejuvenated in San Francisco, as that was his 20th homer since becoming a Giant.
The Padres beat the Cubs 3-0 last night, so the Giants couldn’t bring their magic number down to two games, but with only four remaining San Francisco is certainly in the driver’s seat. That said, San Diego comes to town for a three-game set starting on Friday, so the Giants can’t slip up now. If they lose to the Diamondbacks today in the series finale and the Padres beat the Cubs, there will only be one game that separates the NL West rivals with three games left.
This is what September baseball is all about.
