The Giants got off to a perfect second half start with the Pirates sweep originally appearing on NBC Sports Bay Area
The Giants stayed hot on Sunday with a hard-fought 8-4 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park, earning their fifth straight win dating back to before the MLB All-Star Break despite a quiet day at the plate – until the extras, that is.
Alex Wood started on the hill for San Francisco and threw just 67 pitches on his outing, allowing one run on five hits in 3 2/3 innings. He escaped trouble early in the first, when Giants first baseman LaMonte Wade Jr. made a nice catch in foul territory with runners at first and third.
The Pirates’ only run against Wood came in the second inning in a rally made possible by an unlucky missed strike call to Connor Joe, who brought the former giant out instead of out.
Wood eventually escaped a run-scoring jam that inning, and the Giants took the lead in the third on a single by JD Davis and a bobble that followed by Pirates right fielder Henry Davis.
Then Giants rookie Luis Matos drove San Francisco’s third inning down soft ground in the second that allowed Joc Pederson to score and knocked out Pirates starter Osvaldo Bido.
After that, it was up to the Giants bullpen to retain the lead after Wood was fired late in the fourth.
Tristan Beck finished the fourth inning and pitched the fifth without giving up a run, but Pittsburgh cut San Francisco’s lead in the sixth when Davis doubled Beck, stole the third and then scored on a Jared Triolo pitch to carry the score at 3-2.
Beck pitched 3 1/3 innings for the Giants, then Tyler Rogers came in for the eighth. Andrew McCutchen scored a single and then Tyler scored twice before allowing Triolo to tie the game 3-3 with a goal-laden sacrificial fly.
Tyler’s twin brother Taylor Rogers replaced him with the game on the line, immediately knocking out Tucupita Marcano but then hitting Nick Gonzales to reload the bases. Luckily for the Twins and the Giants, Taylor knocked out Jason Delay to finish eighth.
Seeking to regain the lead in the ninth, the Giants sent Patrick Bailey, Brandon Crawford and Casey Schmitt to the plate and David Bednar retired all three. Then Ryan Walker took the mound for San Francisco in the bottom of the ninth and threw a perfect frame – setting up the extra inning fireworks for the Giants and securing the victory in relief.
Wilmer Flores scored a single in the 10th inning, moving bonus runner Schmitt to third and setting up Pederson for the RBI go-ahead on a sack fly to center field. Michael Conforto followed that up with a two-run brace to give the Giants a 6-3 lead, then Patrick Bailey opened the game big with a two-run double of his own.
Scott Alexander wrapped things up for the Giants in another win from behind despite allowing a run to score, making the final 8-4.
The Giants ended the first series of their 11-game road trip — one of their longest of the 2023 MLB season — on a high, going 11 games above .500 and earning a half game in the standings. NL West. Next, they’ll be looking to continue their winning streak as they head to Cincinnati for a four-game set against the Reds.
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