Thanks to another big inning, the Giants took the weekend series from Pittsburgh after dropping the first game on Friday. For the second night in a row, San Francisco used a huge inning to lead them to a comeback win, today’s was double the size of last night’s. A ten-run fourth inning resulted in a 11-6 win over the Pirates.
Pittsburgh struck first and put the Giants in a 5-0 hole, but they were able to overcome that deficit rather easily. Jonathan Sanchez was able to go just three innings after giving up three runs in the third, two of which were earned. He finished the day giving up five hits and two walks, but struck out five in just those three innings pitched. Osiris Matos took over in the fourth inning, and did not do much better, allowing two more runs on a walk and double. However, the offense took him off the hook and set him up for the win after scoring ten runs in the bottom half of the inning. Billy Sadler and Keiichi Yabu did a good job preventing the Pirates from scoring any more runs through three more innings. Brad Hennessey attempted to pitch the Giants through the eighth inning, but gave up a run on two hits and a walk while getting just one out. Sergio Romo promptly retired the next two batters to bail Hennessey out of any being credited with any more runs. Tyler Walker pitched a perfect ninth inning in which he struck out two batters.
The Giants took advantage of two errors in the fourth inning to score ten runs, eight of which were earned. Everyone in the starting lineup scored a run for San Francisco. Pablo Sandoval was the real star of the game, driving in five runs with a bases loaded double, single, and two sacrifice flies. Sandoval has been coming through with timely hits since being called up, the Giants have really been getting a lot out of their catchers this year. As if ten runs were not enough, the Giants added another run in the sixth inning. Eugenio Velez had a tough game, being the only starter to go hitless in two at-bats, and committing two errors in the field, one of which caused an unearned run. He did however drive in a run with a sacrifice fly.
Tomorrow the Giants will host Arizona for a three-game series. In the first game, San Francisco will send ace Tim Lincecum to the mound who was beaten up his last time out, but will likely return to form. The D-backs number five stater, Yusmeiro Petit will have a tough task trying to match Lincecum pitch-for-pitch.
