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World Series Notebook Aurilia has most postseason RBIs for a shortstopPosted: Thursday October 24, 2002 3:03 AMUpdated: Thursday October 24, 2002 3:26 AM
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- Rich Aurilia's regular season wasn't up to his standards. The way the San Francisco shortstop is performing in his first World Series surely has most people forgetting about any of his frustrating moments. Aurilia went 3-for-4 and drove in a run Wednesday night as the Giants beat the Anaheim Angels 4-3 to even the Series at two games apiece. His RBI single in the fifth inning gave him 14 in the postseason and tied him with Barry Bonds for the team lead. It's the most ever for a shortstop. "Of course, it feels nice to be able to contribute at this time of year," Aurilia said. "I didn't really contribute the way I wanted to during the season. But I'm just glad I can come through and get some hits for this team and help us win." For the record, Aurilia hit .257 in the regular season with 15 home runs -- his worst season since becoming the full-time shortstop in 1998. In this postseason, he's hitting .296 (16-for-54).
Bonds' nightFor six innings, Barry Bonds didn't swing the bat, field a ball and barely had to run the bases. The Anaheim Angels did everything they could to avoid the San Francisco slugger in Game 4. The first three times Bonds came up, Angels manager Mike Scioscia intentionally walked him. By the time Bonds actually got to swing the bat, it was with one out in the seventh inning in a tie game against the devastating Francisco Rodriguez. With the sellout crowd of 42,703 on its feet screaming and boats waiting in McCovey Cove, Bonds didn't see a single fastball from Rodriguez. On a 2-2 pitch, he hit a routine grounder to first base in his only official at-bat. An inning later the Giants took the lead and Bonds watched from left field as Robb Nen closed out the Giants' first World Series win at home since 1962. Bonds pumped his fist as he jogged into the infield to congratulate his teammates. That was about all Bonds had to do Wednesday night. Bonds has already walked nine times in the Series, two shy of the record held by Babe Ruth (1926) and Gene Tenace (1973.) Bonds' 23 walks in the postseason also are a record. Bonds, who set major league records this season with 198 walks and 68 intentional passes, has been intentionally walked five times in his first Series, two shy of Bernie Williams' career mark.
Birthday boyJohn Lackey didn't win on his birthday, but he did manage to get a hit in his first major league at-bat. In his first career World Series start, the Anaheim right-hander singled to right field in the second inning off Kirk Rueter after attempting a bunt earlier in the at-bat. Lackey turned 24 Wednesday, becoming the fifth pitcher to start a World Series game on his birthday. He pitched in relief in Game 2. "Once I hit it I pretty much knew it was a hit," he said. "It would have been a lot nicer for us to win and me to go 0-fer."
Rueter's big hitKirk Rueter's pitching was far from perfect, but what he did with his bat helped make up for it. The San Francisco left-hander led off the fifth inning with an infield single. It traveled less than 20 feet, but it sparked the Giants' offense. Rueter came around to score and the Giants put two more runs up after his to tie it 3-3. "We love having him on the mound," manager Dusty Baker said. "He helped himself at the plate to start that big rally with that infield hit." Rueter's older brother by five years, 36-year-old Brent Rueter, wasn't surprised by the big hit. "He kind of had that look in his eyes," he said. "It wasn't hard, but it did do something."
Bat boy's backAfter missing Game 3 with an earache and sinus infection, the 31/2-year-old son of Giants manager Dusty Baker returned to Pac Bell to work as a bat boy for Game 4. Darren Baker wouldn't let his dad keep him away.
"Yeah, he's going to be available," Baker said before the game. "He's on some antibiotics and he was raring to go this
morning."
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