http://0rz.tw/HVI1y Giants walk off after Lincecum stifles D-backs By Chris Haft / MLB.com | 5/11/2011 3:10 AM ET SAN FRANCISCO -- Darren Ford was idling before he accelerated toward home plate Tuesday night. Asked what he was doing before he entered the game for Buster Posey to score the game's lone run in the ninth inning and give the Giants a 1-0 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks, Ford said, "I'm sitting right there next to [manager Bruce] Bochy. All he has to do is turn around and look and he'll see me." Ford acted strategically in hunkering down next to his boss. "It's my idea," he said. "So he knows that I'm ready." Ready, in this case, to pinch-run after Posey coaxed a leadoff walk from D-backs reliever David Hernandez. Ready to steal second base without drawing a throw, then speed across home plate on Cody Ross' one-out single to complete San Francisco's third walk-off victory in four games. Ford, the backup outfielder used primarily off the bench as a designated Porsche, has scored five runs this season. Four have either tied the score or put the Giants ahead. "It's nice to have him sitting there, waiting for someone to get on base," Bochy said. "With Buster getting the walk there, it's a no-brainer. [Ford] helped change the game and set up Cody's big hit. It's what speed can do for you, especially when, offensively, we're sputtering a little bit." Bochy described the Giants' offense accurately. They've scored 11 runs during their four-game winning streak and have exceeded three runs twice while winning six of their last seven games. The Giants also have pitched three shutouts in this stretch, enabling them to overcome their tepid offense. Ross' RBI occurred one inning too late for Tim Lincecum, who no-hit Arizona for 5 1/3 innings but received no decision. Lincecum ultimately lasted eight innings and allowed four hits while walking two and striking out nine. He whittled his lifetime ERA against Arizona to 2.42 in 15 starts. It marked the 19th time in Lincecum's relatively brief but highly eventful career that he pitched at least seven innings without yielding a run. Three times this season, he left the ballpark without a win despite working seven innings and yielding three runs or fewer. "I feel bad for Timmy," Ross said. "He goes out there and pitches these gems and we don't seem to score for him." Lincecum spun his latest magic after throwing a season-high 127 pitches at New York last Wednesday, though Monday's scheduled off-day gave him an extra day's rest. "You guys worry about it as one of those things that takes a toll on your body," Lincecum said of his workload. Referring to his between-starts workout regimen, the right-hander added, "We do enough outside of the game itself to put gas back in the tank." Arizona starter Ian Kennedy matched Lincecum -- besides breaking up his no-hitter -- by working eight innings and surrendering three hits while walking three and striking out eight. Melvin Mora followed Kennedy's hit with a two-out single, forcing Lincecum to confront his most serious jam of the evening. He responded by erasing Justin Upton on a foul fly to right field. Lincecum insisted that he wasn't thinking about his chances for a no-hitter. "I don't think it really becomes something you think about as a starter until probably a little later in the game," he said. Striving to win, much less support a Lincecum no-hitter, was enough of a challenge for the Giants until Ross' conclusive at-bat against Hernandez. Ross, who scored Friday night's winning run and drove in all three Giants runs on Sunday, lined Hernandez's 0-1 pitch inside third base and down the left-field line, giving the D-backs no chance to throw out the fleet Ford. "I threw him a good slider, first-pitch slider," said Hernandez (2-1), who had blanked opponents in his previous six outings but had walked at least one batter in three consecutive games. "I feel like I probably should have gone back again and thrown one out of the zone. The second pitch was a fastball in, and he put a good swing on it. It was probably not in enough. I feel like if I threw a fastball in enough he wouldn't keep the ball fair." By going 5-for-12 in his last five games, Ross has lifted his batting average to .245 from .195. "It's coming," Ross said. "It's a process. It doesn't change overnight. But I'm feeling better. Confidence is the main thing." 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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