Arizona    84-61   …               Will likely open playoffs against Philadelphia.
GIANTS  75-69   8 1/2 GB    Turn out the lights; the party's over.


Yesterday
Giants lost to LA, 2-1.
Arizona defeated San Diego, 3-2. They also won the series opener Thursday.

Today
Giants face LA again; Ryan Vogelsong, winner of the "Willie Mac Award" as the most inspirational Giant according to his teammates, will get the start. There may never have been a more deserving recipient of the award.

Last Night's Game
The anticipated pitchers' duel between Tim Linceum and the Dodgers' ace, Clayton Kershaw, lived up to its advance billing. As has been their habit of late, the Giants scored early and then took a long snooze. Their first-inning unearned run (error, stolen base, single) held up for seven innings, as Lincecum struck out six while allowing only three hits. But in the eighth, with two out and nobody on, the Giants' ace weakened just enough to allow LA to tie it in similar manner (bunt single, stolen base, RBI single). Since the Giants themselves managed only three hits again, the issue was not whether, but rather when the Dodgers would score the winner. As it happened, it was the top of the ninth, with Santiago Casilla the victim-- single, sacrifice bunt, and wild pitch, followed by a ground ball to second. Jeff Keppinger's throw to the plate was late, and ironically it was former Giant utilityman Eugenio Velez who scored the run that effectively ended the Giants' season.

Yes, folks, it really is over. This team is not good enough to win this year.

Where Do We Go From Here?
To the NFL, of course!

All kidding aside, we'll take some time off and then return to wrap up the season once the playoff schedule is set.