SAN FRANCISCO – Angel Pagan drove in two runs and Melky Cabrera added an RBI as the San Francisco Giants shut out the Los Angeles Dodgers for the third game in a row, 3-0.
In each game, a Giants starter went seven shutout innings and the “bullpen by committee” hunkered down for two scoreless frames to close out the game. Today’s effort was especially important to the Giants – and, in a lesser way, Giants fans – as Tim Lincecum returned to “Freakdom.” Lincecum (3-8) surrendered just four hits and struck out eight on his way to ending a personal 10-game winless streak.
Lincecum also stole the show with his glove, a glove that wasn’t even in on his left hand. With Dodgers pitcher Chad Billingsley (4-7) on third, Lincecum threw a slider about five feet in front of catcher Hector Sanchez. As Billingsley raced home and the ball rolling toward the wall, Sanchez slid to grab the ball and threw it to Lincecum covering the plate.
Following a pitcher-to-pitcher collision at the plate, Lincecum held his glove to his chest with the ball firmly in place. He held the glove up – with both hands – to show the umpire he had possession of the ball for the out, preserving the shutout.
The Giants have little time to celebrate the three-game shutout streak as they begin a four-game set with the Cincinnati Reds tomorrow at AT&T Park.
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