Cain's strong start ends early with injury
SAN FRANCISCO -- Giants right-hander Player Page for Matt Cain suddenly was removed from Monday night's 2-1 victory over the Dodgers in the middle of a masterly performance due to a tight right hamstring.
Cain, who allowed two hits in six innings to record his first victory over Los Angeles since May 5, 2013, wasn't certain whether he'd make his next scheduled start.
Cain said he felt a twinge in his hamstring while making his last pitch to Justin Turner, whose fly ball to left field ended the sixth inning. The right-hander began warming up to pitch the seventh inning and protect San Francisco's 1-0 edge. However, having endured two stints on the disabled list last season with right hamstring injuries, Cain refused to risk a recurrence.
"It just kind of bit on me a little bit," said Cain, who was replaced by left-hander Steven Okert. "It was something I was kind of monitoring in between the inning and I went back out there. ... I didn't want to go down that road again. With the history of it, I didn't want to push it."
Cain also took Yasmani Grandal's fourth-inning smash off his right foot, with the ball caroming to third baseman Christian Arroyo, who threw out Grandal. After that play, a member of the Giants' athletic training staff briefly checked on Cain, who unhesitatingly stayed in the game. X-rays taken on his foot came back negative.
Arroyo, making his Major League debut, hoisted Cain back to his feet after that play. Arroyo revealed that Cain gave him a slight chest bump in gratitude.
Somebody suggested Arroyo quite literally "picked up" Cain, the phrase that's often used when one teammate supports another with a key play.
"He picked me up big time," Cain said.