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Lincecum overpowers Padres, leads Giants to win

Aug 23, 2008 - 6:31 AM By Michael Duca PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

SAN FRANCISCO (Ticker) -- Tim Lincecum loves pitching against the San Diego Padres, especially when he gets some run support.

Lincecum pitched eight masterful innings to lead the San Francisco Giants to a 5-0 victory over the Padres on Friday.

The 24-year-old righthander, Lincecum (14-3) allowed four hits and three walks, and struck out eight to increase his major league-leading total to 200, while continuing his dominance of San Diego.

"He's pretty darn good," Padres manager Bud Black said. "I've seen a lot of development in one year, with the changeup especially."

In seven prior career meetings with the Padres, Lincecum has posted a 1.36 ERA. He is 2-0 with a 0.78 ERA in 34 1/3 innings against San Diego this year, although the Giants have scored 16 runs in his five starts. All three of his no-decisions have gone into extra innings.

"I don't know what new to say about him," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. "I thought tonight was the best he's pitched all year."

San Francisco catcher Bengie Molina agreed, noting Lincecum's ability to control his entire arsenal.

"(He was) locating his fastball and keeping changeups down while mixing in the curveball," he said.

When asked what Lincecum's potential might be, Molina responded, "I think he's capable of striking out 200 or more every year."

On his 100th pitch, an 87-mile per hour slider, Lincecum notched his 200th strikeout, becoming the ninth San Francisco pitcher to reach the milestone.

"It's kind of just another number to me," Lincecum said. "The closest I've gotten was in college when I had 199. It's a big number, it's cool."

San Diego starter Cha Seung Baek (4-8) allowed all five runs and five of his seven hits in the fourth. He also walked two and struck out eight, losing his third consecutive start - his longest slide since dropping four straight during his rookie season in 2004.

"The curveball was solid and he threw a lot of good changeups, but they did not miss a single mistake in the fourth inning," Black said. "Bengie (Molina) hit it well, and the home run was the death blow."

Emmanuel Burriss led off the fourth with a single up the middle - the first hit Baek allowed - and Fred Lewis followed with a double. Molina plated Burriss and Lewis with a double on the first pitch he saw.

After Aaron Rowand struck out, Pablo Sandoval lined a single to center field. After a visit from pitching coach Darren Balsley, Baek left a fastball up at the waist to Travis Ishikawa and the rookie deposited it in the left field stands for his second home run, giving the Giants a 5-0 lead.

"I like to go opposite field when a pitcher is pitching me away," Ishikawa said. "I don't have the strength to pull a pitch away like that in this ball park."