ASSOCIATED PRESS
San Francisco's Jerome Williams got his first shutout yesterday when he beat Oakland.During an interview a few minutes after the game, he got a shaving-cream pie in the face from catcher Benito Santiago.
Williams gets shutout
The Waipahu alum has
Giants manager Alou
raving about him
SAN FRANCISCO >> Jerome Williams joined the San Francisco Giants six weeks ago as a stopgap starter. The 21-year-old with phenomenal control looks more like a permanent big leaguer with every pitch.
Williams, a Waipahu High School alumnus, threw a seven-hitter for his first major league shutout, and Barry Bonds hit his 634th career homer as the Giants beat the Oakland Athletics 6-0 last night.
Williams allowed just one runner to reach second base and needed just 96 pitches -- 73 strikes -- in an incredible exhibition of pitch placement. In the final three innings, 28 of Williams' 31 pitches were strikes, and he didn't throw a ball in the ninth.
"He came here as an emergency guy," Giants manager Felipe Alou said. "He's not an emergency any more. ... Ever since he got here, we've been talking about his ability to throw strikes. He put it right where Benito (Santiago) gave him the target. You don't see too many young guys controlling the fastball like he does."
Williams (2-1) retired the side in order in the ninth, punching his fist into his glove and taking a long look at his standing ovation after striking out Ramon Hernandez to end it.
Williams was the first Giants rookie to pitch a shutout since Mike Remlinger did it in 1991. He was the youngest Giants pitcher with a shutout since Pete Falcone in 1975.
"It's crazy," Williams said. "At the start of this year, I thought I'd get a September callup. Now I'm up, and I just pitched a complete-game shutout.
"I feel comfortable, and I'm pitching very well. If I keep going, I'll probably be staying here."
The A's were baffled by Williams for the second time in seven days. Last Saturday, Williams pitched into the seventh inning while picking up his first major league victory in Oakland.
"That's impressive for anyone, regardless if you're 21 or 41," A's manager Ken Macha said. "(Throwing) 75 percent strikes is amazing. He got ahead of us and did a great job. They also made great plays in the field, and consequently, we ended up with nothing."
