GIANTS' RALLY FALLS SHORT; CAN'T OVERCOME 6-ERROR DEBACLE
4 Consecutive Errors in 1st Epitomizes Defensive
Futility
SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 18 (AP) - The San Fransisco Giants have played the worst
defense in the major leagues this season and that was never more apparent than
in a gut-wrenching 11-10 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates at Candlestick
Park. The Giants committed a big league season worst six errors in the
contest, leading to five unearned Pittsburgh runs. What's more, San
Francisco set a new standard for defensive incompetence by committing errors on
four consecutive Pirates plate appearances in the top of the very first
inning. Those errors were pivotal during a six-run frame, allowing the
Pirates to establish a lead they would never relinquish. Trailing 11-5
entering the ninth inning the Giants scored five times and had the tying and
winning runs in scoring position only to fall a run short in the end.
The first inning was one of the most gruesome any team has played this
season. Frank Taveras led off with a single off Giants starter John
Montefusco, stole second and took third on Omar Moreno's infield hit.
Moreno then swiped second and, following that, Montefusco was called for a balk,
scoring Taveras and moving Moreno to third. Richie Zisk's double to
right-center plated Moreno for a 2-0 Pittsburgh lead. The defensive
hijinks followed immediately. Willie Stargell's routine grounder was
booted by shortstop Johnnie LeMaster for an error, allowing Zisk to take
third. LeMaster then kicked Dave Parker's would-be double play grounder,
allowing Zisk to score and Stargell to advance to second. Just when it
seemed it couldn't get any worse, left fielder Gary Matthews dropped Richie
Hebner's routine fly to left, filling the bases. And finally, Montefusco
himself got into the act when he couldn't field Rennie Stennett's tapper back to
the mound, allowing Stargell to score. At this point, four runs were in,
the bases were loaded and there were no outs recorded. Manny Sanguillen's
fly ball to shallow right was the first out of the inning but pitcher Jim Rooker,
the ninth man to come to the plate in the frame, singled, scoring two more runs
to give the Pirates a 6-0 lead. Taveras grounded into a double play to
finally end the inning.
RBI singles by Parker and Hebner in the top of the second gave Pittsburgh an 8-0
lead and drove Montefusco from the mound in the process. The rout appeared
to be on in earnest.
LeMaster and Marty Perez drove in runs for the Giants in the bottom of the
second to cut the deficit to 8-2 but the Pirates got those runs back plus one in
the top of the third. An RBI ground out off the bat of Stargell preceded
Parker's two-run doube, putting Pittsburgh on top 11-2.
It was still a nine-run Pirates lead in the fifth when San Francisco drew closer
on Matthews' two-run homer and run-scoring single from Darrell Evans.
The Pirates took an 11-5 lead into the bottom of the ninth and seemed poised to
close out the game. Reliever Kent Tekulve, who had held the Giants at bay
since entering the contest in the sixth, walked Perez and surrendered a double
to Matthews, putting runners on second and third. Bobby Murcer popped up
for out number one but Ken Reitz rolled a single into left field, scoring Perez
and advancing Matthews to third. Manager Danny Murtaugh had seen enough
and summoned Dave Giusti from the bullpen to finish off the game. But the
Giants had other ideas. Darrell Evans sprayed a single to left, scoring
Matthews and moving Reitz to second. Gary Thomasson, pinch hitting for
LeMaster, dropped a single into right field, scoring Reitz and advancing
Thomasson to third. Dave Rader drew a four-pitch walk, filling the
bases. Chris Speier, pinch hitting for pitcher Mike Caldwell, lifted a
sacrifice fly to center, scoring Evans and advancing Thomasson to third.
With the score now 11-9 and runners on the corners the potential winning run was
as the plate in the form of Larry Herndon. Herndon singled, scoring
Thomasson and moving Rader to third. The potential winning run was now at
first base and four pitches later the winning run was in scoring position as
Giusti walked Perez to load the bases. Bob Moose was brought on as the
third Pittsburgh pitcher of the inning and he retired Matthews on a ground ball
to Hebner at third to end the game.
The two teams combined for 29 hits and 10 walks. The 16 hits amassed by
the Giants tied for the second most for the club this season. The Giants
managed 17 safeties in an 11-2 victory over San Diego on June 23.
8/18/1976, Pit76-SF 76, Candlestick Park 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E LOB DP 1976 Pirates 6 2 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 11 13 1 8 1 1976 Giants 0 2 0 0 3 0 0 0 5 10 16 6 11 4 Pirates AB R H BI AVG Giants AB R H BI AVG Taveras,F ss 6 2 3 0 .277 Herndon cf 4 0 2 1 .318 Moreno cf 3 3 2 0 .250 Perez,M 2b 4 2 2 1 .300 Zisk lf 4 2 2 1 .290 Matthews lf 6 2 2 2 .260 Stargell 1b 5 2 1 1 .231 Murcer rf 5 0 1 0 .235 Parker,D rf 5 1 2 4 .335 Reitz 3b 5 2 2 1 .297 Hebner 3b 3 1 1 0 .253 Evans,D 1b 5 2 3 2 .221 Stennett 2b 5 0 0 0 .223 LeMaster ss 4 0 1 1 .220 Sanguillen c 5 0 1 0 .326 Thomasson ph 1 1 1 1 .279 Rooker p 3 0 1 2 .143 Rader,Da c 4 1 1 0 .209 Robertson ph 1 0 0 0 .152 Montefusco p 0 0 0 0 .082 Tekulve p 1 0 0 0 .143 Moffitt p 1 0 0 0 .000 Giusti p 0 0 0 0 .000 Arnold ph 1 0 0 0 .216 Moose p 0 0 0 0 .250 Lavelle p 0 0 0 0 .167 41 11 13 8 Adams,G ph 1 0 1 0 .250 Heaverlo p 0 0 0 0 .000 Ontiveros ph 1 0 0 0 .063 Caldwell p 0 0 0 0 .160 Speier ph 0 0 0 1 .217 42 10 16 10 Pirates INN H R ER BB K PCH STR ERA Rooker W 9-5 5.0 8 5 5 2 1 93 61 3.32 Tekulve H 3 3.1 5 3 3 1 1 59 40 2.71 Giusti 0.1 3 2 2 2 0 21 10 3.82 Moose S 7 0.1 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 5.20 9.0 16 10 10 5 2 175 112 Giants INN H R ER BB K PCH STR ERA Montefusco L 10-11 1.1 7 8 3 1 0 47 31 2.89 Moffitt 2.2 2 3 3 2 3 42 25 2.04 Lavelle 2.0 2 0 0 1 0 29 17 1.92 Heaverlo 2.0 2 0 0 1 1 23 13 2.98 Caldwell 1.0 0 0 0 0 0 8 6 5.81 9.0 13 11 6 5 4 149 92 Pit: Robertson batted for Rooker in the 6th SF : Arnold batted for Moffitt in the 4th Adams,G batted for Lavelle in the 6th Ontiveros batted for Heaverlo in the 8th Thomasson batted for LeMaster in the 9th Speier batted for Caldwell in the 9th E-Taveras,F, Herndon, Matthews, Evans,D, LeMaster 2, Montefusco. 2B-Zisk(25), Stargell(19), Parker,D(22), Matthews(13). 3B-Reitz(5), Evans,D(2). HR-Matthews(14). RBI-Zisk(54), Stargell(55), Parker,D 4(52), Rooker 2(7), Herndon(19), Perez,M(32), Matthews 2(59), Reitz(56), Evans,D 2(41), LeMaster(3), Thomasson(20), Speier(30). SB-Taveras,F(44), Moreno(3). K-Parker,D, Stennett, Sanguillen, Rooker, Murcer, Ontiveros. BB-Moreno 2, Zisk, Hebner 2, Herndon 2, Perez,M 2, Rader,Da. SF-Speier. WP-Rooker. BALK-Montefusco, Moffitt. Temperature: 71, Sky: clear, Wind: left to right at 17 MPH. Attendance: 5,029 Game Time: 2:55