http://0rz.tw/Swmgn Banner night for Lincecum in Big Apple Ace sets Giants' double-digit strikeout mark, wins first in NY By Chrs Haft / MLB.com | 5/5/2011 12:57 AM ET NEW YORK -- Tim Lincecum had never won a game here in three lifetime starts before Wednesday. So when he finally emerged triumphant in the Giants' 2-0 victory over the Mets, he fittingly met the high standards that New Yorkers associate with greatness. Toughness. Style. Undeniable excellence. Twice, Lincecum has traveled to New York in late January to accept National League Cy Young Awards. He demonstrated how he earned that hardware by yielding five hits in seven innings and striking out 12, including the final five batters he faced. Toughness: Lincecum (3-3) stranded eight Mets, limiting his opponents to one hit in nine at-bats with runners in scoring position. Style: Lincecum impressed the announced Citi Field crowd of 29,333 with his usual mixture of fastballs and breaking pitches, a combination that doubtlessly reminded some wistful Mets fans of bygone favorites such as Tom Seaver and Dwight Gooden. Undeniable excellence: Lincecum's double-digit strikeout effort was the 29th of his career, breaking a tie with Hall of Famer Christy Mathewson for the most by any Giants pitcher since 1900. "You've got your horse on the mound," right-hander Sergio Romo said, referring to Lincecum. "Sit back and watch the show." The Giants' winning display -- which assured them of at least a .500 record entering Thursday's finale of their three-city, 10-game trip -- included second baseman Freddy Sanchez's dazzling catch of a sixth-inning popup that helped Lincecum extinguish a Mets rally, along with RBI singles by Pat Burrell in the sixth inning and Mike Fontenot in the seventh off Mets starter Chris Capuano (2-3). Until then, Burrell had one hit in his previous 18 at-bats with runners in scoring position. Brian Wilson capped another solid bullpen effort with his 10th save in 11 chances, an impressive ratio given the injuries that hampered his preparation for the season. Mostly, though, the night belonged to Lincecum (3-3), who maintained a lively fastball that hovered at around 93-95 mph all evening despite his staggering pitch total of 127. Manager Bruce Bochy pointed out that Lincecum's increased physical strength has bolstered his durability. Mentioning that he now weighs 178 pounds, up from 155-160 last year, Lincecum agreed. "You don't feel like the wind's going to knock you over or anything like that," Lincecum said. Lincecum proved to be no pushover for the Mets, though they constantly challenged him. "At the beginning of the game, I wasn't hitting spots as well as I should have been or wanted to," Lincecum said. "I continued to make adjustments throughout the game." He overcame his biggest test in the sixth inning, after Carlos Beltran doubled and Ike Davis singled to put runners at the corners with nobody out. Sanchez then slid on the warning track after an impossibly long run to snare Ronny Paulino's popup in foul territory in short right field. Sanchez quickly outdid himself by unleashing a blistering, accurate one-hop throw off his back foot that would have apprehended Beltran. Sanchez was dealing with numerous factors -- the wind that seemed to keep blowing the ball farther away, the crowd noise that prevented him and right fielder Nate Schierholtz from communicating as they pursued the ball, and the possibility that the bigger Schierholtz just might flatten him. But Sanchez said, "At that point, I really didn't care where he was. I knew he was right on top of me, and I didn't hear him say anything. I was just going all out, [giving] everything I had, to try to get that ball and make a play." Afterward, Lincecum took matters into his own hands by fanning Willie Harris and Jason Pridie to end the threat. Pridie whipped off his helmet in frustration after flailing at a 93-mph fastball for strike three. "I didn't feel he had his best stuff. His pitch count was up," Beltran said. "But he was able to put himself in a position where after he fell behind the hitters, he was able to regroup and come back and finish it. Normally, he gets ahead a lot in the counts. That's what happens when you face guys like him. Even though they don't have the best stuff out there, they can make it difficult." The seventh inning was far less complicated for Lincecum. He struck out the side on 18 pitches. Daniel Murphy, Lincecum's final victim, fouled off three 3-2 pitches before he swung and missed on a changeup. Lincecum's dominance was underscored by his eclipsing the legendary Mathewson. "The Big Six," as Mathewson was nicknamed, needed 550 starts as a Giant to accumulate his collection of double-digit strikeout performances. Lincecum amassed his total in 129 starts. "It's cool, I guess," Lincecum said. "I have a lot more pitching to do, so hopefully those keep coming." Chris Haft 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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