--C Eliezer Alfonzo, a member of the Giants' 40-man roster who's now with Class AAA Fresno, was busted for using performance-enhancing drugs and will serve a 50-game suspension. He's the first big-leaguer on a 40-man roster to be penalized for PEDs in 2008. In a statement, Alfonzo admitted the "mistake" and apologized. He was hitting .306 for Fresno. He played for the Giants the past two years and hit .263 in 113 games.
--LHP Noah Lowry will be shelved another three or four weeks, at least, the Giants said Tuesday after he had a nerve exam. Lowry had forearm surgery in March and was hoping to return to the Giants by late April. He was told to stop rehabbing and start resting, and he'll see Dr. James Andrews in Alabama on Monday for another opinion. --RHP Brian Wilson's nine saves in 10 attempts are the most by a Giant before May 1 since Robb Nen in 1999, when he had the same number. Rod Beck saved 11 games before May 1 in 1997. On Wednesday, Wilson overcame a first-batter walk to throw a scoreless ninth.
--3B Jose Castillo on Wednesday hit his first homer as a Giant and first homer since Aug. 14, 2006, as a Pirate. He ended his homerless at-bat streak at 450. The victim was the Rockies' Ryan Speier.
--LF Fred Lewis made the defensive play of the game Wednesday, robbing Willy Taveras with a diving catch in the eighth inning. A hit would have tied the score. It came with two outs and a runner at second.
BY THE NUMBERS: 4 -- Home runs hit by Bengie Molina, through April 27, a team high. Molina replaced Barry Bonds this year as the cleanup hitter. He also led the team in hits and RBIs.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "I never even did it in batting practice." -- LF Fred Lewis, after becoming the first Giant to reach McCovey Cove with a homer on the fly since Barry Bonds on Aug. 8, 2007. Lewis reached the San Francisco Bay on April 26 on a pitch from Cincinnati's Matt Belisle.
