Snow's Homer Helps Giants Keep Pace
Scoreboard watching isn't J.T. Snow's idea of being in a pennant race. He has no problem with hitting important home runs, though.
Snow broke out of a slump with a three-run homer and Wilson Alvarez got his third victory for San Francisco, leading the Giants to a 6-2 victory over the skidding New York Mets on Tuesday night at New York.
Snow's sixth-inning drive sent the Giants to their eighth win in 10 games against New York this season, and kept them a half-game behind the Dodgers in the NL West.
The shot off Rick Reed (10-8) broke a 1-1 tie, and ended an 0-for-10 slide for Snow, who hadn't homered since Aug. 8. Snow had been benched for Monday night's series opener by Manager Dusty Baker, who wanted his first baseman to regain his focus.
"Real big home run," Baker said. "He's come through with some big hits and that was a real big hit."
Snow, who entered the game batting .146 with no homers and six RBIs in his previous 12 games, said he was upset when he didn't see his name in the starting lineup Monday.
"I think at this part of the year you just want to contribute and do something positive," he said.
Did the day off help?
"It looks good now," Snow said, "but I wanted to be in there yesterday."
Meanwhile, the Mets continued their slide from playoff contention with their 12th loss in 17 games.
"Now we have to win 12 of 17," said New York Manager Bobby Valentine, reportedly close to signing a new contract with the club.
Alvarez (3-1), making his fifth start for the Giants since he was traded by the Chicago White Sox on July 31, gave up six hits in six innings.
Alvarez hadn't pitched since leaving in the fifth inning Aug. 17 against Montreal because of tightness in his shoulder.
Florida 11, Chicago 0--Unbeaten rookie Livan Hernandez combined with two relievers on a four-hitter to win his eighth consecutive decision and Jeff Conine homered twice as the Marlins defeated the Cubs at Chicago.
Conine drove in five runs and Gary Sheffield and Moises Alou also homered for the Marlins, who had 17 hits and improved to 8-1 against the Cubs in their most lopsided victory of the year.
Florida remained four games ahead of San Francisco in the NL wild-card race.
Hernandez (8-0), a 22-year-old right-hander who defected from Cuba in 1995, gave up two hits in six innings and has doubled the previous Florida record for victories without a loss to start a season. He walked three and struck out six.
