DOUBLEHEADER!!!

Two games, a chance for two wins.

Of course, the Giants have had eight chances to win over the last eight games, too, and haven't managed to get one.

I'm firmly convinced that the Giants stand a pretty good chance at winning a game if, after nine innings, they have more runs than the Mets do.

Watching the first game, and Ray Durham comes through in the clutch with a knock to drive in Yorvit Torrealba. Lance Niekro then does what he does best -- hammer somethin' -- to earn a double. Tie game at 1-1 in the 3rd inning. Gotta figure that Kaz Ishii will offer up some opportunities to score, but it's up to the Giants to take advantage.

In another disheartening move, Father Alou put Marquis Grissom, the Professional Outmaker, in again at centerfield. You know, it starts to become less of a Grissom vs. Jason Ellison thing, because F. Alou is playing Ellison in right field (which is stupid, too, but nevermind). It's becoming more of a question of Grissom vs. Whomever Isn't Playing, which in the first game is Edgardo Alfonzo. Whenever Grissom starts, either Ellison, Pedro Feliz, or Alfonzo is likely to lose a game to compensate. Seeing as how each of those three are better hitters than Grissom (heck, Michael Tucker is more useful offensively than Grissom as well), this really shouldn't happen.

Let's break it down like this, folks. Do you remember the Neifi Trifecta I mentioned to you earlier this year? How Neifi somehow managed to be so poor offensively last season with the Giants that his batting average, on-base percentage, and slugging percentage were all under .300?

I present to you Marquis Grissom: .204/.242/.283 -- how can those...numbers...find their way into the Giants lineup, especially on consecutive days?

Update (4:00p.m.): Giants up 6-2, and after LaTroy Hawkins earns his keep by allowing consecutive hits, Felipe is going to Tyler Walker in the 'pen. This...looks dangerous. It is, however, a save situation, so we can now put to test a little theory that's been making its way around that Walker doesn't pitch well in non-save situation. Whatever, just get three outs, Tyler.

...whoo hoo! Two sliders for strikes against Mike Cameron, and then blows him away by throwing some super-heated plasma (okay, it was only 93 MPH). Two away.

...then allows a long single to Carlos Beltran, which brings up Mike Piazza as the tying run. Piazza hadn't looked great in the early going, but found a way to get a single last time...oh, nevermind -- Walker snaps Piazza's bat in half for a ground out to Happy Feliz. Game over!

Brett Tomko is easily the Man in this one - 7 2/3 pitched, 6 hits, 1 run allowed, 2 walks vs. 5 strikeouts. If he keeps pitching like this, he just might make it to .500 sometime in August.