Sports
Lincecum Hands Giants A Seventh Win
By Tommy Garrett
Jun 1, 2008 - 8:32:06 PM

SAN FRANCISCO—Three weeks shy of his 24th birthday, Tim Lincecum already is being compared with today's best pitchers.

''He's special,'' San Francisco manager Bruce Bochy said in a statement on Wednesday. ''He's one of the better pitchers in the game.''

Lincecum got his seventh victory Tuesday night and the Giants, powered by homers from Bengie Molina and Jose Castillo, beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 6-3.

Lincecum has benefited from the wisdom of Molina behind and at the plate. The veteran catcher was named NL player of the week for last week after going 15-for-23 with six doubles, a home run and nine RBIs.

On Tuesday, Molina picked up where he left off with a three-run homer in the third. Castillo added a 422-foot solo shot in the fourth. Both homers came off Arizona starter Dan Haren (5-4). Brian Wilson threw a perfect ninth for his 15th save, tying Houston's Jose Valverde for the NL lead.

Molina's sixth homer of the season put the Giants up 3-0. Fred Lewis led off the inning with a single, and then Ray Durham walked. After Randy Winn flied out, Molina hit Haren's 1-2 pitch into the left-field seats.

Lincecum left after giving up singles to Orlando Hudson and Conor Jackson in the eighth. Chad Tracy doubled off Tyler Walker to bring home Hudson, then Jackson scored on a wild pitch to cut the Giants' lead to 6-3.

Fans and sports watchers all agree Lincecum has a bright future ahead.

Tim Lincecum is a rising star. Photo courtesy of Google images.