GIANTS FALL ON WALK-OFF HOME RUN

CINCINNATI — Giants starter Casey Kelly had breakfast with a member of the Cincinnati Reds coaching staff, but he wasn’t there to gather intel on the hitters he’ll face Friday.

Instead, it was a reunion for Kelly and his father Pat, who took over as the Reds bench coach earlier this season after a staff shakeup.

After the Giants placed rookie Dereck Rodriguez on the disabled list Thursday with a Grade 1 hamstring strain, Kelly made a spot start in the club’s 2-1 walk-off loss to the Reds Friday.

The last time Kelly was on the mound, Dodgers second baseman Brian Dozier hit a walk-off sacrifice fly to down the Giants in the 12th inning. On Friday, Kelly began the game on the mound, but it was reliever Ray Black who gave up a walk-off solo shot to Reds outfielder Phillip Ervin in the bottom of the 11th.

Ervin’s home run was just the second hit allowed by a Giants reliever in 52/3 innings off of five pitchers who backed up Kelly to give San Francisco’s offense ample opportunities to win the series opener.

The Giants had a chance to take the lead in the top of the 10th, but after a two-out single from Andrew McCutchen moved pinch hitter Gorkys Hernandez to third base, Alen Hanson struck out on three pitches to end the threat.

Pat Kelly met with reporters hours before Friday’s game and said it’s the first time he would watch his son pitch in a major-league game from the opposing dugout.

“I’ll have the best seat in the house,” Pat said. “Usually I’m up in the stands with a hotdog and a beer the few times a year I get to see him pitch. I’ll be up close and it’s fun.”

Casey allowed leadoff hits in four of the five innings he appeared in and pitched in traffic throughout Friday’s start, but once runners reached scoring position, the green light he gave the Cincinnati offense turned red.