From the San Francisco Chronicle:
Next time the Giants get rubber-hosed by an umpire, and you sit there with a consolation beer in hand and wonder why this happens 100 times out of 100 to your team, think back to San Francisco's 5-3 victory over the Texas Rangers on Tuesday night.
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When pinch-hitter Gerald Laird flied out to left in Teixeira's place to end the game, the Giants had to know they got away with one.
"Some guys said it was fair, some said it was foul, some said it was close," manager Felipe Alou said. "I have been in professional ball for 51 years, and I know I went home many times when I knew I won, and I lost because of a questionable call."
John McEnroe would have sympathized with the Texas Rangers.
But the Giants, just trying to sneak back to .500, weren't feeling bad in the slightest after holding on for a wild 5-3 victory Tuesday night.
Jeremy Accardo caught a major break in the ninth inning when Mark Teixeira's bases-loaded flare was called a foul ball, even though it clearly sprayed the chalk line directly in front of the Texas bullpen.
From the San Jose Mercury News:
On the brink of another bullpen disaster, the Giants got one of their biggest breaks of the season Tuesday night.
Matt Morris carved up the dangerous Texas Rangers lineup for eight innings, but if not for a controversial foul-ball call in the ninth inning the Giants might not have escaped with a 5-3 victory at AT&T Park.
``There are many times in 51 years in baseball that I knew I won, but I went home a loser because of a questionable call or whatever,'' Manager Felipe Alou said. ``I'm just glad we won.''
Things began to unravel for the Giants after Morris turned over a 5-1 lead to the bullpen. Tim Worrell gave up a home run to the second batter he faced and then allowed two Rangers to reach base, on an error by Worrell and a single. With closer Armando Benitez out because of a sore elbow, Jeremy Accardo entered the game in a rare save situation.
After a walk to load the bases, Accardo yielded an RBI single. The next batter, Mark Teixeira, hit a line drive that appeared to kick up chalk off the right-field foul line. First-base umpire Tom Hallion called the drive a foul ball, costing the Rangers two runs -- and possibly the lead.