Watching the Giants night after night in Pac Bell Park, it becomes very clear that the Giants defense has as much to do with the success of the pitching staff as the pitchers themselves.

Ryan Jensen can attest to that after Tuesday night’s game.

How does great defense change a game, just ask the Atlanta Braves.During the course of a game, there are three maybe four times when the defense comes into play significantly enough to change the outcome of a game.

Last night was one of those nights.

Tuesday, Jensen mixed fastballs and sliders in his work against the Braves, keeping them off balance throughout the game.

His pitching line in the paper this morning showed eight innings pitched, no runs, five hits, no walks and four strikeouts.

Outstanding work, no doubt, but if you were there you know it would have looked much different if the Giants defense hadn’t come up with clutch plays.

Chipper Jones ripped a line drive headed for triple’s alley in the fourth inning, rightfielder Reggie Sanders came flying across the outfield grass, extended his left arm at the very last second to its fullest, lunged, and made a fabulous tumbling catch, depriving the Braves star of a game breaking three bagger.

Shinjo ran down at least three drives in the outfield gaps, saving Jensen from further disaster. Earlier in the game, Rich Aurilia scooped a short line drive, quickly threw to first, doubling off the runner, getting Jensen out of a sticky jam.

The Giants defense kept Jensen in the game long enough to allow him to pick up his fourth win of the season.

Here’s how.

The most obvious, the Braves didn’t score any runs due to the fine work. Jensen threw only 82 pitches in eight innings. If the defense doesn’t make the plays behind him, innings are prolonged, his pitch count goes up, and he is pulled for a pinch hitter after seven frames and this morning is looking at a no decision instead of a win.

When the defense makes all the routine plays, like the Giants defense does, the other team is limited to three outs per inning, just as Abner Doubleday intended the game to be played.

More pitchers lose games during big innings when they labor on the mound through thirty pitch innings because the batting team has received extra chances because of misplayed batted balls.

I saw this with the A’s quite often last year. Both Kevin Appier and Gil Heredia would be sailing along in a tight ballgame. All of a sudden one or two routine outs weren’t recorded and the floodgates opened as their pitch counts rose in the inning.

This season Cory Lidle has suffered from plays not being made behind him leading to ugly innings during the game.

A pitchers daily performance must be viewed in context of what happened in the field behind him during the game.

Good or bad.

Now, don’t get me wrong, Jensen pitched a tight fabulous game last night against a lineup that has Gary Sheffield, Chipper Jones, Andruw Jones, and Vinny Castilla in the power spots.

But, without solid defense last night his breakfast would not be as tasty this morning.

Other notes:

The Giants don’t hit very much once they pass Barry Bonds in the batting order. It is still only May 15th, but the lack of production from JT Snow and Reggie Sanders is alarming. I know Snow has 22 RBI, second on the team, but a .350 slugging average will not get it done in the fifth spot in the order. Will Damon Minor get a chance? Not with Snow pulling down 6 mil over the next two seasons.

The Giants have no other option other than letting Reggie Sanders work out of his funk at the plate. When Sanders is hot, watch out, when he isn’t, he strikes out often, killing rallies.

Shinjo doesn’t hit with any real consistency. His defense never goes on vacation and that is his benefit to the team.

David Bell is a solid eighth or ninth place hitter in the lineup. Unfortunately, he is leading off. The Giants need a leadoff hitter with a high on base percentage ( Bell’s OB% is .340) because if that batter is on base, the opposing manager has a more difficult time pitching around Bonds.

Jeff Kent is slowly rounding into shape after his spring training injuries. He is no where near the MVP second baseman he was two years ago.

Has anyone seen Pedro Feliz (who is hitting .351) in a game recently?

The Giants win at home because of great defense, enough hitting to outscore the opposition, an excellent bull pen (even without a competent lefty), solid starting pitching, and Barry Bonds.

The Giants don’t win on the road because their offensive deficiencies are exposed in the opponents parks. Visiting teams don’t hit in Pac Bell, they do hit in their own parks.

The Giants don’t hit well enough on the road to keep up with teams who all of a sudden discover their offense at home.

Check it out, at home the Giants win the close games.

Heck, all the games in San Francisco are close until the Giants get that one clutch hit.

Dusty Baker then turns the ball over to Felix Rodriguez and Robb Nen, and it’s see ya later.

So, what’s the key to their success at home?

All the above, but, I still say when it is all said and done, one can’t ever take their sparkling defense for granted.

Just ask Ryan Jensen.