05/04/2006 12:00 AM ET
Schmidt's shutout paces Giants
Righty earns 18th complete game; Bonds hitless in four at-bats
By Rich Draper / MLB.com
Mike Matheny (left) reaches over the Brewers dugout fence to catch a pop on
Wednesday. (Jeffrey Phelps/AP)
MILWAUKEE -- With apologies to P.T. Barnum, the Giants pulled off one of the
greatest shows of the season on Wednesday night, with all the spectacular
elements of a three-ring circus in their 2-0 victory over the Milwaukee
Brewers at Miller Park.
There was pitcher Jason Schmidt cracking the whip on his fastball and mind-
bending changeup, taming a tough-hitting Brewers lineup featuring lions
Carlos Lee, Prince Fielder and Bill Hall to the tune of only five hits.
Schmidt evened his record to 2-2 and notched his ninth career shutout, ending
a drama-filled ninth inning with two Milwaukee runners on base by whiffing
Fielder on -- get this -- three unhittable changeups.
This was the cool, confident Schmitty that Giants fans routinely saw in 2002
and 2003, when the right-hander was in contention for the National League Cy
Young Award.
There was a Houdini act as well, with slugger Barry Bonds -- knocked dizzy
when hit in the head by a batting practice foul ball -- amazingly recovering
quickly enough to play nine offensive innings, going 0-for-4 without a homer.
Fireworks came from third baseman Pedro Feliz, who is struggling offensively,
but has a knack of rising to the occasional with men on base, as he hit a two-
run homer in the second inning off Brewers starter Dave Bush (2-3), giving
Schmidt all the runs he needed.
Then there was Mike Matheny's daredevil catch of a Hall foul pop in the fifth
frame -- the catcher leaned over the Brewers dugout railing, hung on with his
hand and spun athletically while holding onto the ball -- that was as stunning
as a high-wire act.
It was Schmidt's first shutout since defeating Pittsburgh, 7-0, on Aug. 12,
2004, at PNC Park. The right-hander's 19th career complete game helped San
Francisco ignite its five-game road trip with a victory and end a three-game
losing streak.
There was a moment, however, when it might not have happened.
In the ninth, manager Felipe Alou came to the mound with the runners on and
Armando Benitez warming up in the bullpen. But no, Felipe kept Schmidt in.
"I thought he was going to [take me out]," said Schmidt. "He came out and said
, 'How do you feel? Do you want to go after this guy?' and he said, 'OK,
you're the man. Let's do it.'
"Surprising -- I'm glad he left me out there," said Schmidt, who threw 112
efficient pitches and fanned seven Brewers. "I was just trying to get
[Fielder] out. When you look up there, every guy coming up there was hitting
three-something with 11 homers. I knew they had a good team, could hit with
pop and good average."
But the 33-year-old Schmidt had super location and said that once Feliz hit
the homer, it gave him a smidgen of breathing room. While saying the
opposition popped up bad pitches and good ones as well, it was obvious from
the onset that Schmidt was on his game.
Matheny said that Alou instilled more confidence in Schmidt at the end.
"That was cool," said the catcher. "We left and let Jason do his thing. I was
very impressed. He had a good idea in his mind what he wanted to do and
executed it. He used all his pitches and used them smart -- [he] mixed them up
. And late, when it got down and dirty, he made better pitches.
As for his Olympic-style "10" on the low bar, Matheny was just glad that the
foul was within reach and that some good friends in the Brewers dugout --
including bench coach Robin Yount -- were close in case he fell.
"There are good people over there," said Matheny. "I made a reach for it and
managed to get it in my glove."
Rich Draper is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the
approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
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