World Series: Notes from Game Three

Well, that wasn't very good at all now was it, unless you are an Angels fan. The Angels won 10-4. The game wasn't very close after the Angels scored 4 runs and batted around for two innings in a row to make it 8-1.

Here are my abbreviated notes from the game. Editorial comments in square brackets:

Top of 1st: Eckstein-wide strike called on first pitch. Eric Greg reference [The first of many. McCarver later says that Greg is a bartender in Philly. I know that he writes for a Philly commuter paper called the Metro.]

Bottom of 1st: Lofton called safe twice in a row on pick-off attempts. Looked tagged out high on the replay both times. Steals second. Tagged in the back. Looks out (for third time). [Imagine if Lofton was called out-that would have erased what was for a good portion of the game San Fran's only run.]

Kent-dribbler off Ortiz's glove (heel). Ball toward second. Second baseman covering second-why?

Bonds-McCarver goes out on a limb to say Bonds is the first to get an IBB in first with men on first and third. [Confirmed about two innings later.]

Santiago-dribbler just past Ortiz. Run scores, 1-0.

Top of 2nd: Glaus-away 4 times. 5th Santaigo sets up outside-ball had too much of plate & hanging. Just missed it-10 ft foul to left. Next one-20 ft foul to right. Hits first ball out of the infield, fly out to warning track. Ball was up a bit.

Kennedy & Molina-swapped in batting order. Makes sense since Kennedy is better hitter. Bats 9th to act as second leadoff hitter.

Kennedy-slicing line drive 3-4 ft fair, into the stands. Spiezio held up at 2nd. He forgot there were 2 outs.

Top of 3rd: Robin Williams [in attendance] dressed like Mork from Ork at a formal. McCarver spews about his 3-D glasses for Eckstein's entire AB.

Eckstein-shows bunt on first pitch.

Williams-now relaying signals to the batter.

Erstad-showing bunt on first pitch.

Buck-taking a tour of the Bay Area. Another gratuitous shot of the Taco Bell target.

Erstad-pitch right down pike, hit & run, liner down right field line. Eckstein can't score.

Salmon-First 4 pitches away; 5th Santiago sets up away, but it has too much plate. Takes a bad hop on Bell. E5.

Anderson-hits outside ball to left. Fails to move runners.

Glaus-[1st pitch] Santiago set up outside, but Hernandez way too high-not hitting spots. Pitch 3, Santiago again outside. Livan-too much plate but pulled foul. Pitch 4 in dirt, again missed spot. Hit & Run. Single. Salmon to third.

Spiezio-Hit & Run. Livan-again missed spot, too much plate. Gapper. Aurilia decoyed Glaus successfully but still scored.

Righetti-had told Hernandez to back up plate as prescient piece of advice. He looks good like he could still pitch.

Ortiz-Again missed spot outside but called inside strike. Nubber to mound. Nice stop by Hernandez and nice catch on inside of bag by Snow. 4-1.

Bottom of 3rd: McGwire commercial-theme from Courtship of Mr. Eddie's Father.

Taco Bell target shown again.

Aurilia-hits first ball out of infield for Giants [single to left].

Kent-looks bad. Pops two up-second in play.

Bonds-1st pitch right over the plate. 3-pitch strikeout. All low fastballs.

Top of 4th: Another shot of the Taco Bell target and now a commercial.

Buck and McCarver-applaud Eckstein for not wearing body armor.

Salmon-Hernandez missing spots low, bothered by baserunners. Ball 4 didn't miss by much.

Anderson-1st pitch: double steal. No throw. Hernandez now not watching runners. Hernandez is done for the night.

Guy on mast [in McCovey's Cove] now on cell phone.

Kennedy-line drive off Witasick's elbow. Into left.

Molina-ball up, single. The throw to plate is late-should have been cut off. 8-1.

Bottom of 4th: Snow-two balls bounced up to plate. Is layoff going to affect Ortiz?

Heat Mizer is in attendance tonight.

Buck and McCarver now discussing the fact that Ortiz is a barber.

Bell-2nd pitch tipped into Molina's chest. As he lurches over to his side, [they are] still talking about manicures. They say PH Martinez on deck. It's actually Feliz. Bell's sixth straight fouled off. Nice AB-works walk.

Feliz-Bud Selig in attendance. Wiping his mouth on national TV.

Top of 5th: Scioscia and Cox named TSN Managers of the Year. A-Rod is Player of the Year.

Bottom of 5th: Greatest Moments promotion finally over tomorrow.

Aurilia-hanger for HR. 2nd long ball in a row.

Kent-ball right over plate. Is Ortiz tiring? Is anyone up in the BP?

Bonds-Shot of the Taco Bell Flotilla again. Laser to straightaway center on hanger over the plate. No Gene Clines reaction in the dugout though.

Santiago-Bullpen finally up. Hard hit right at Eckstein. First ball to stay in the infield in last 6 batters for SF.

Top of 6th: Ortiz in on-deck circle. Is lifted after Molina walks. If 1-2-3 inning does Ortiz still stay in? [He was the #4 hitter in the inning.]

Eckstein-went and got a pitch. Lofton has no arm-short of mound, on 1st base side. Pitcher tries to relay it home. Big run after SF scored.

Top of 8th: Jerry Rice in attendance, so we have to see him not first pitch from Scott Eyre.

Molina-on base all five times.

Eckstein-great stop by Snow. Eyre does not cover. Snow looks disgusted.

Bottom of 8th: Snow-why is the 3rd baseman not guarding the line? Why didn't Snow get a double?

Rodriguez-no longer up in Angels' bullpen. Gets the night off. Weber up.

Top of 9th: Why is Scott Eyre still in against righty Glaus? I guess the game is done.

Bottom of 9th: Final score 10-4. McCarver [referring to Angels]-"You have to go to the thesaurus and look up another word for relentless. That's what they are."

[FYI: Synonyms GRIM 3, implacable, ironfisted, merciless, mortal, ruthless, unappeasable, unflinching, unrelenting, unyielding; Synonyms INFLEXIBLE 2, adamant, dogged, inexorable, obdurate, rigid, single-minded, unbending, uncompromising, unyielding]

Summation: The Angels now have their offense going. They have regained the home-field advantage. Their bullpen is basically well rested even though Ortiz departed early. Every position player got a hit. Walking Bonds in the first worked. Kennedy broke out of mini slump. Negatives: Scheoneweis, the only lefty in the bullpen, was used for two innings tonight.

The Giants' positives: Bonds had another monster bash. Their bullpen held pretty well. Kent is showing signs that the slump is ending. Negatives: some bad defense. Lofton is not hitting. The bottom of the order stopped hitting (though Bell had some tough ABs). Hernandez looked very bad and probably will not be used again. Their bullpen is getting a lot of work. Their bench did nothing.

Basically the Angels have made the adjustments that they have needed to make. Now it's the Giants turn. So what's up for game 4? The Giants had better jump on Lackey early. Remember he did get some work in game 2. The Ginats have seen him, and he may tire easily. The Giants need to get into teh Angels bullpen early and disrupt their offensive game. They also need a good game from Rueter with a lot of innings. He Angels need to continue with how they are playing. The can afford a loss now. It's more important that they stay loose and play well. Finally, let's hope for a better game.