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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
PHOENIX (AP) -- Rich Aurilia likes to hit in Bank One Ballpark.
The San Francisco Giants enjoy playing there.
|  | | Rich Aurilia is greeted by teammate Jeff Kent after belting a two-run home run off Brian Anderson in the sixth inning Friday. |
Aurilia hit a tiebreaking homer and drove in three runs, and San
Francisco clinched at least a tie for the best record in the majors
by beating the Arizona Diamondbacks 4-3 Friday night.
"I think a lot of people have success here," said Aurilia, who
homered for the second time in four games at Phoenix, all Giants'
wins. "It's a good hitter's park, got a good backdrop to hit, and
the ball carries."
The win sent the Giants (96-64) two games ahead of Atlanta and
St. Louis in the race for home-field advantage in the NL playoffs.
The Giants' record also is two games better than Chicago's in the
AL with two games remaining.
San Francisco has not had the best record in baseball since
1962. The 1905, 1913 and 1924 Giants also were the winningest teams
in those years.
Livan Hernandez (17-11), who lost to Brian Anderson and the
Diamondbacks on Sunday when he gave up a season-high eight runs,
allowed two runs in eight innings for the win.
Hernandez pitched out of jams twice in his last three innings,
and his only serious mistake was Matt Williams' homer in the
fourth.
Robb Nen pitched the ninth for his career-high 41st save, giving
up a run on Luis Gonzalez's grounder. Nen walked the first two
batters, then converted his 28th straight save chance since July 2.
"I'm just glad Robb Nen closed it out," manager Dusty Baker
said. "And Livan? That was a tremendous performance -- a gutsy
performance. He was in trouble a couple of times and got out. That
was some big hitting from Richie, too."
The score was tied at 2 when Jeff Kent hit a leadoff triple in
the Giants sixth. After two outs, Aurilia drove his 20th homer, the
best of any NL shortstop, into the left-field grandstand off
Anderson.
Anderson (11-7), who went into the game tied with Greg Maddux
for the best walks-to-innings ratio in the NL, issued a career-high
five walks. He gave up seven hits and four runs in 6 2/3 innings.
"My stuff was good," Anderson said. "But on a 3-2 count,
you're not going to throw a cookie to a team like this."
Aurilia said Anderson didn't miss by much on any pitch.
"He's in the same class as a (Tom) Glavine or a Kirk Rueter
like we have -- guys that use both sides of the plate," Aurilia
said. "You know he's not going to be walking a lot of guys, so
you're going to go in swinging. But we're lucky that he walked a
few, and a couple of those guys scored."
Marvin Benard had an RBI double for the Giants in the third,
making Anderson pay for a leadoff walk to Bobby Estalella.
San Francisco went up 2-1 in the fourth when J.T. Snow singled
with two outs and scored on Aurilia's double. Steve Finley chased
Aurilia's drive to the warning track in center field and got his
glove on it, but dropped the ball as he fell.
"I thought Finley caught it," Aurilia said. "I actually
stopped running around first base until I saw ball pop up out of
his glove," Aurilia said.
The Diamondbacks struck quickly in their half when Williams led
off with a homer into the swimming-pool pavilion in right-center.
Williams walked and scored Arizona's first run on an error by
Kent, who threw the ball low to first trying to complete a double
play in the second inning.
"He had some foot problems last year and was able to work
through them, and now he's able to do the same thing," manager
Buck Showalter said of Williams.
Game notes
Arizona had runners on the corners in the sixth, but the
inning ended when Jay Bell struck out and Estalella threw out Craig
Counsell trying to steal second. ... Hernandez was hit by his
attempted bunt in the third, becoming the Diamondbacks'
franchise-record 1,199th strikeout victim of the season. ...
Aurilia and Kent became the first middle-infield combination to
each hit at least 20 home runs in back-to-back seasons. ...
Hernandez finished with 254 hits allowed, passing Houston's Jose
Lima (251) for most in the league. ... Hernandez has won six of
eight starts. ... The Giants are 6-5 against Arizona this year. ...
Bell is 0-for-17 against Hernandez in his career.
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ALSO SEE
Baseball Scoreboard
San Francisco Clubhouse
Arizona Clubhouse
RECAPS
Baltimore 13
NY Yankees 2
Cleveland 8
Toronto 4
Detroit 1
Minnesota 0
Tampa Bay 8
Boston 6
Chi. White Sox 6
Kansas City 4
Anaheim 9
Seattle 3
Oakland 7
Texas 5
Florida 7
Philadelphia 1
Pittsburgh 8
Chicago Cubs 4
NY Mets 11
Montreal 2
Colorado 4
Atlanta 2
Milwaukee 13
Houston 3
Cincinnati 8
St. Louis 1
San Francisco 4
Arizona 3
Los Angeles 3
San Diego 0
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