Velez puts on a show of power

OK, who scheduled Eugenio Velez Night and Ryan Garko Night for the same time and place? Tuesday was supposed to be about the Giants' new first baseman, whose hitless debut included two routine flyouts, a lineout and a sharp groundout from the sixth spot in the order. But in a 3-2 victory over the Pirates, Garko and his new team were picked up by the man who hit behind him, Eugenio Velez. The just-promoted jack of all trades tied the game with a home run and hit the go-ahead RBI double in a win that secured the series against the undermanned Pirates. Velez's development has been slow and sometimes painful, but in the two games since his call-up he has looked more major-leaguer-ly. "Probably as much as anything, he's been confident and relaxed up there," manager Bruce Bochy said. "He's showing good plate discipline. He's laid off pitches. That's the key for him, laying off pitches. He got a lot of playing time down in Fresno. Sometimes that's all it takes, getting three or four at-bats a game." Garko hit a wicked liner to second after Fred Lewis' leadoff single in the sixth and steal of second. Velez, who homered against Charlie Morton in the second inning, lined a double off the right-field wall that scored Lewis for a 2-1 lead. Pablo Sandoval's RBI single in the seventh cashed in a leadoff double by Andres Torres, an important run because, in the eighth the Pirates scored the first run against Jeremy Affeldt in 29 innings. Brian Wilson pitched the ninth for his 26th save. As always before the July 31 trade deadline, intrigue and Baseball share equal billing at the ball yard. Tuesday at China Basin was no exception. The big question was whether the Giants would complete a new right side of the infield by adding All-Star Pirates second baseman Freddy Sanchez. According to one source, the Giants and Pirates might have the parameters of a deal in place that would send Sanchez to San Francisco for prospects. However, the Giants are concerned about a bruise on Sanchez's left knee that could be holding up a deal. Sanchez has not played in the series but is supposed to return Friday. The source believes the Giants were interested in two Washington Nationals, first baseman Nick Johnson and outfielder Josh Willingham, but the cost for both is prohibitive if they are available at all. In theory, if the Giants got Johnson, he and Garko could platoon at first base, and Garko can play some outfield. Some of the excitement over Garko's acquisition was tempered by bad news on the team's health. Nate Schierholtz, just starting to gel as a hitter, went on the 15-day disabled list with a strained left hip, caused by his vicious collision with the outfield wall in Atlanta on Thursday. Schierholtz played the next two games, even hitting a homer in Colorado on Friday, but now he is too hurt to go. Schierholtz's move to the DL created space on the 25-man roster for Garko, who said before the game he was anxious about the trade until he landed in San Francisco on Monday night. "It's such an honor and I'm really excited to be a part of this," he said. Giants fans will want Garko to be more than one part, but a big, power-hitting part, which is precisely how Garko said he cannot think. He has played his entire big-league career in Cleveland, where home runs for right-handed hitters not named Manny Ramirez were hard to come by because of a deep and tall left-field fence. That, he said, helped make him more of a hitter than a guy who tries to lift balls over the fence. "Home runs are not what it's about," he said. Garko got a warm welcome from fans before flying out in his first at-bat. He then watched Velez crush a homer into the arcade well into right-center field, the second home run by the Giants in 12 second-half games. That tied the game 1-1 after Barry Zito allowed a run two batters into the game on an Andrew McCutchen doubled and Delwyn Young single. Zito left in the sixth without allowing another run. A's rally to win Oakland scores three in ninth, two in 11th to top Red Sox. B5