When Matt Cain stepped in to bat with a runner in scoring position in the bottom of the seventh, it was clear that Bruce Bochy intended for him to come back out to pitch again in the top of the eighth. Javier Lopez was warming up in the bullpen to face Josh Hamilton, in the event that the inning lasted that long, was Hamilton was due up fourth, so there was no guarantee.
World Series Game 2, Rangers Vs. Giants: Matt Cain, Javier Lopez Effective In Eighth
Cain came out and, facing pinch-hitter Julio Borbon, induced a leadoff groundout to get off to a good start. Elvis Andrus, though, then followed by drawing a six-pitch walk, bringing the tying run to the plate.
Andrus got himself in scoring position moments later when he took off for second. Buster Posey made an excellent throw down and gave Edgar Renteria a chance to apply a tag, but Renteria couldn't handle the ball and Andrus slid in safe.
But Michael Young left Andrus there when he lifted an easy fly into right field. That brought up Hamilton with two outs, and that brought out Bochy to replace Cain with Lopez. Cain departed to a rousing standing ovation, and left with the following line:
7.2 innings
4 hits
2 walks
2 strikeouts
102 pitches (66 strikes)
Lopez was tasked with retiring only one guy. This was his big job. He put a first pitch fastball over the outer edge fora strike, and brought his next fastball inside. Hamilton swung at this one but got under it, sending a fly ball into right-center where Andres Torres was able to make an easy catch.
It's 2-0 Giants going into the bottom of the eighth, and Brian Wilson is warming up.
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