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Sanchez spectacular as Giants down Reds

Apr 26, 2008 - 6:39 AM By Ryan McCrary PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

SAN FRANCISCO (Ticker) - Jonathan Sanchez pitched eight-plus dominant innings on Friday night to lead the San Francisco Giants to a 3-1 victory over the Cincinnati Reds.

Sanchez (2-1) allowed four hits and one walk while tying a career high with 10 strikeouts.

He surrendered his only run in the top of the ninth inning, when pinch hitter Brandon Phillips stroked a leadoff home run to left field - his first career blast when coming off the bench.

"I felt I was getting good command on top of the ball," Sanchez said. "I feel relaxed. I go out there every fifth day to the mound and do my job. Then I rest four days then I go out there and do it again."

After Ryan Freel followed with a single, Sanchez was relieved by closer Brian Wilson, who retired the next three batters en route to his eighth save of the season.

"I had to get ready a little faster than I expected, but I'll do that for (Sanchez)," Wilson said. "He was great out of the bullpen, but he always wanted to be a a starter."

Sanchez gave up a leadoff single to Freel in the first inning before retiring the next 16 batters he faced - six on strikeouts. Reds starter Aaron Harang ended the streak with a two-out double in the sixth.

"I thought this start was quite different from his last one (at St. Louis)," San Francisco manager Bruce Bochy said. "He was so much more consistent with his delivery tonight. (Friday) he was really hitting his spots well, using his curveball and changeup and just stayed in command the whole game."

Harang (1-3) kept pace with Sanchez, surrendering three runs - two in the bottom of the eighth - and eight hits in 7 1/3 innings. He walked one while striking out eight.

"Aaron pitched great," Cincinnati manager Dusty Baker said. "The other guy pitched well too. Can't take anything away from him. He threw outstanding and so did Aaron."

"(Sanchez) just outpitched me today," Harang said. "Some of the other (pitches) that I got in on the hands fell in (for hits)."

Fred Lewis started the decisive eighth-inning rally with a double down the right field line. He scored one batter later on Eugenio Velez's single, and right fielder Ken Griffey Jr.'s throw home got past catcher David Ross, allowing Velez to advance to second.

Jared Burton relieved Harang and, after Velez stole third and Ray Durham walked, Molina gave the Giants a 3-0 lead with a sacrifice fly to right-center.

Molina, who also plated Velez with a double in the fourth inning, has driven in 16 runs this season - tops among National League catchers.

"(Molina) is our cleanup hitter and that's what you want your cleanup hitter to do, which is to get some runs in and he finds ways to do it," Bochy said. "The hits he gets are huge, the home runs. He's as clutch of a hitter as any in the game and it showed again tonight."