It's Thursday, April 22, 2004, and the Giants are hosting the San Diego Padres in the fourth and final game of a four-game series at SBC Park. Ismael Valdez will pitch for the Padres, while Kirk Rueter gets the ball for the Giants. Bonds is in left field and will bat sixth, as his replacement Dustan Mohr did in real life. The Padres won the actual game, 9-4. As we begin, Bonds is batting .362 (135-373) with forty-five home runs and 101 runs batted in.
The Padres opened the scoring with two runs in the top of the fourth. First baseman Phil Nevin led off by hitting Rueter's 1-1 fastball over the left field wall for his twenty-sixth home run of the year to give the visitors a 1-0 lead.
Left fielder Ryan Klesko grounded to second for out number one, but center fielder Jay Payton followed with a bloop single to center. Catcher Miguel Ojeda stroked a base hit to left center that put runners at the corners, but he was forced by shortstop Khalil Greene. Payton scored on the play, and it was 2-0 San Diego. Pitcher Ismael Valdez lined a base hit to left center that moved Greene to third, but third baseman Sean Burroughs grounded to J,T. Snow at first to end the inning,
The Friars added to their lead in the top of the fifth. With two out, Nevin singled to right. Klesko whacked a double off the wall in right to move Nevin to third, and Payton lined a single to left that scored Nevin and extended the Padres' lead to 3-0. Ojeda's fly to the Giants' Michael Tucker in center ended the inning.
The Padres added their fourth run in the top of the seventh. With one out, right fielder Brian Buchanan got all of Rueter's 0-1 fastball and hit it into the third row of seats in left field for his third home run of the year. The ball traveled an estimated 369 feet; left field is 335 feet from home plate at SBC Park.
The visitors added a fifth and final run in the top of the ninth. Nevin led off against Giants reliever Felix Rodriguez and blasted his 2-1 slider over the center field wall for his second home run of the day and twenty-seventh of the year. The ball traveled an estimated 441 feet; center field is 404 feet away from home plate at SBC Park. Final score: Padres 5, Giants 0,
Now let's look at Bonds' at-bats:
In the second, third baseman Pedro Feliz led off with a grounder to third that went into and out of Burroughs' glove. Burroughs was charged with an error, allowing Feliz to reach. Tucker's popup was caught by Nevin at first for out number one, but Bonds kept things moving with a bloop single to right that put two men on. Catcher A.J. Pierzynski grounded into a 5-4-3 inning-ending double play.
In the fourth, right fielder Jeffrey Hammonds led off with a lined single to right. He was forced by Feliz for out number one, and Tucker flew to Klesko in shallow left for out number two. Bonds walked to put two on, but Pierzynski grounded to Mark Loretta at second to end the inning.
In the seventh with one out, Bonds lined a double off the wall in right. Pierzynski singled to left to put runners at the corners, but shortstop Neifi Perez grounded into a 6-4-3 inning-ending double play.
In the ninth, Hammonds drew a leadoff walk, but Valdez completed his shutout by retiring the next three batters in order: Feliz popped up to Nevin at first, Tucker struck out swinging, and Bonds was retired on a comebacker to Valdez to end the game.
Final totals: Padres 5-16-2, Giants 0-5-1.
Pitchers' records remain the same.
HR- SD: Nevin 2 (28), Buchanan (3)
LHR- SD: Nevin (27)
SF: Durham (16)
Nevin and Valdez were named co-Players of the Game. Nevin was five for five with two home runs, two runs batted in and three runs scored, while Valdez pitched a five-hit complete game shutout. He walked two, struck out three, and threw only ninety-four pitches.
Bonds was two for three plus a walk, He's currently batting .364 (137-376) with forty-five home runs and 101 runs batted in.
He leads the National League batting race by seventeen points over the Rockies' Todd Helton. He's second in the major league batting race, eight points behind the Mariners' Ichiro Suzuki.
He's walked 233 times, which leads the major leagues by 106 over Helton.
He has sixty-one singles. The National League top ten begins at 122.
He has twenty-eight doubles. The National League top ten begins at forty-three.
His current on-base percentage is .610. He leads the majors by 121 points over Helton.
His current slugging percentage is .814. He leads the majors by 157 points over the Cardinals' Albert Pujols.
His current OPS is 1.424. He leads the majors by 336 points over Helton.
As a bonus, let's calculate the batting average of Padres second baseman Mark Loretta. He came into the game hitting .335 (208-620) He was one for four in the actual game but went hitless in five simulated at-bats, which means he loses a hit and gains an at-bat. He's now hitting .333 (207-621) and has fallen to fourth in the National League batting race, one point behind the Dodgers' Adrian Beltre for third.
Next: The Giants head to Shea Stadium to battle the Mets on Tuesday, May 4. Brett Tomko will start for the Giants, while Steve Trachsel goes to the mound for the Mets.
Thoughts?
The Padres opened the scoring with two runs in the top of the fourth. First baseman Phil Nevin led off by hitting Rueter's 1-1 fastball over the left field wall for his twenty-sixth home run of the year to give the visitors a 1-0 lead.
Left fielder Ryan Klesko grounded to second for out number one, but center fielder Jay Payton followed with a bloop single to center. Catcher Miguel Ojeda stroked a base hit to left center that put runners at the corners, but he was forced by shortstop Khalil Greene. Payton scored on the play, and it was 2-0 San Diego. Pitcher Ismael Valdez lined a base hit to left center that moved Greene to third, but third baseman Sean Burroughs grounded to J,T. Snow at first to end the inning,
The Friars added to their lead in the top of the fifth. With two out, Nevin singled to right. Klesko whacked a double off the wall in right to move Nevin to third, and Payton lined a single to left that scored Nevin and extended the Padres' lead to 3-0. Ojeda's fly to the Giants' Michael Tucker in center ended the inning.
The Padres added their fourth run in the top of the seventh. With one out, right fielder Brian Buchanan got all of Rueter's 0-1 fastball and hit it into the third row of seats in left field for his third home run of the year. The ball traveled an estimated 369 feet; left field is 335 feet from home plate at SBC Park.
The visitors added a fifth and final run in the top of the ninth. Nevin led off against Giants reliever Felix Rodriguez and blasted his 2-1 slider over the center field wall for his second home run of the day and twenty-seventh of the year. The ball traveled an estimated 441 feet; center field is 404 feet away from home plate at SBC Park. Final score: Padres 5, Giants 0,
Now let's look at Bonds' at-bats:
In the second, third baseman Pedro Feliz led off with a grounder to third that went into and out of Burroughs' glove. Burroughs was charged with an error, allowing Feliz to reach. Tucker's popup was caught by Nevin at first for out number one, but Bonds kept things moving with a bloop single to right that put two men on. Catcher A.J. Pierzynski grounded into a 5-4-3 inning-ending double play.
In the fourth, right fielder Jeffrey Hammonds led off with a lined single to right. He was forced by Feliz for out number one, and Tucker flew to Klesko in shallow left for out number two. Bonds walked to put two on, but Pierzynski grounded to Mark Loretta at second to end the inning.
In the seventh with one out, Bonds lined a double off the wall in right. Pierzynski singled to left to put runners at the corners, but shortstop Neifi Perez grounded into a 6-4-3 inning-ending double play.
In the ninth, Hammonds drew a leadoff walk, but Valdez completed his shutout by retiring the next three batters in order: Feliz popped up to Nevin at first, Tucker struck out swinging, and Bonds was retired on a comebacker to Valdez to end the game.
Final totals: Padres 5-16-2, Giants 0-5-1.
Pitchers' records remain the same.
HR- SD: Nevin 2 (28), Buchanan (3)
LHR- SD: Nevin (27)
SF: Durham (16)
Nevin and Valdez were named co-Players of the Game. Nevin was five for five with two home runs, two runs batted in and three runs scored, while Valdez pitched a five-hit complete game shutout. He walked two, struck out three, and threw only ninety-four pitches.
Bonds was two for three plus a walk, He's currently batting .364 (137-376) with forty-five home runs and 101 runs batted in.
He leads the National League batting race by seventeen points over the Rockies' Todd Helton. He's second in the major league batting race, eight points behind the Mariners' Ichiro Suzuki.
He's walked 233 times, which leads the major leagues by 106 over Helton.
He has sixty-one singles. The National League top ten begins at 122.
He has twenty-eight doubles. The National League top ten begins at forty-three.
His current on-base percentage is .610. He leads the majors by 121 points over Helton.
His current slugging percentage is .814. He leads the majors by 157 points over the Cardinals' Albert Pujols.
His current OPS is 1.424. He leads the majors by 336 points over Helton.
As a bonus, let's calculate the batting average of Padres second baseman Mark Loretta. He came into the game hitting .335 (208-620) He was one for four in the actual game but went hitless in five simulated at-bats, which means he loses a hit and gains an at-bat. He's now hitting .333 (207-621) and has fallen to fourth in the National League batting race, one point behind the Dodgers' Adrian Beltre for third.
Next: The Giants head to Shea Stadium to battle the Mets on Tuesday, May 4. Brett Tomko will start for the Giants, while Steve Trachsel goes to the mound for the Mets.
Thoughts?
Last edited: