Angels beat Giants to lead World Series
Ben Walker, Associated Press, San Francisco
Relentless again at the plate and on the bases, Scott Spiezio and the Anaheim Angels trampled the San Francisco Giants 10-4 Tuesday to take a 2-1 lead in the World Series.
"We're doing the little things it takes to win games. That's why we're here," Spiezio said.
Spiezio drove in three runs, Darin Erstad had three hits and Anaheim battered Livan Hernandez, the postseason ace who recently boasted, "I never lose in October."
The Angels became the first team in Series history to bat around in consecutive innings, with a flood of hits, walks and steals making it 8-1 in the fourth inning.
Anaheim finished with 16 hits in keeping up a familiar pattern. They've lost the opener in all three of their postseason series this year, then didn't lose again. After dropping Game 1 to the Giants, they came back to win 11-10.
"We've been through tough times before," Erstad said. "We have it rolling right now."
Barry Bonds drew two more walks and also set a postseason record with his seventh home run. He becomes the first player to homer in his first three Series games. His 131-meter, two-run shot to center field came in the fourth inning, the same inning Rich Aurilia connected for the Giants, but only made it 8-4.
"We just didn't pitch well, that's it. Bottom line," Bonds said.
With 13 homers already, Anaheim and San Francisco are only four short of the record for any Series. The long balls are sure to further increase speculation that "juiced balls" - harder than average balls - are being used. Baseball commissioner Bud Selig insists it's not so, but the Angels proved little ball works just fine.
Rather, the Angels proved little ball works just fine, too - especially at the major league park where the fewest homers were hit this year.
"We scored a lot of runs today and we didn't hit any home runs. We have a lot of guys that are gap hitters," Spiezio said.
Every Angels starter except winning pitcher Ramon Ortiz got a hit and Anaheim coasted despite setting a nine-inning Series record by leaving 15 runners on base.
"I think we were able to do some of the things we were successful at all season," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said.
Hernandez was chased after 3-2-3 innings, the worst start of a glittery postseason career that had seen him go 6-0. Instead, he looked like the pitcher who tied for the National League lead in losses, which he did with 16.
John Lackey will start for the Angels in Game 4 Wednesday night. He'll be pitching on his 24th birthday against Kirk Rueter.
The fans were ready for fun from the start as Pacific Bell hosted its first Series game and the first in San Francisco since the 1989 earthquake. After Bennett sang the city's favorite song, Mays threw out the ball to Bonds, his godson.
The Angels scored four times in the third inning and four more in the fourth for an 8-1 lead.