Giants rally in 9th to edge Mariners
SEATTLE (TNS) – After spending the first half of June trying to climb over the .500 mark and prove they could contend in a division lacking a true juggernaut, the Giants finally achieved the feat on June 24 with a walkoff win over the San Diego Padres.
They came close to regressing to .500 on Tuesday night, but Pablo Sandoval’s ninth inning infield single and second baseman Dee Gordon’s throwing error allowed Steven Duggar to score the go-ahead run in a 4-3 win over the Mariners.
After suffering back-toback walkoff losses and allowing Seattle to overcome three separate one-run deficits Tuesday, the Giants fended off disaster with late-inning heroics and closer Will Smith’s fourth save of the season.
With a ninth-inning run against Mariners closer Edwin Diaz, the Giants improved to 52-50 and now have a chance to sweep a two-game set in Seattle in today’s matinee.
Though the formula didn’t quite match up with the one the Giants used to move above .500 a month ago, they’ll gladly take an ugly win that keeps them above sea level.
Four of the nine hitters manager Bruce Bochy penciled into Tuesday’s lineup hadn’t hit a home run this season, including designated hitter Hunter Pence who hit in the fifth slot in the order despite carrying a .285 slugging percentage into the game.
While he’s struggled through the toughest season of his professional career, Pence proved there’s still pop in his bat as he launched the third longest home run by a Giants player this season with a 445foot moonshot that hit off the base up the upper deck at Safeco Field.
Pence’s first homer of the season broke a 2-2 tie in the sixth and gave starter Andrew Suárez his third different lead of the night. But once again, Suárez couldn’t keep the Giants in front as he issued a two-out walk to Denard Span and reliever Reyes Moronta allowed an inherited runner to score on a single by Mariners pinch hitter Ben Gamel.
Pence wasn’t the only unlikely source of offense for the Giants’ offense Tuesday, as the team’s first three runs batted in came off the bats of players with a combined 24 RBIS on the year.
Kelby Tomlinson entered Tuesday’s game with a .214 batting average and was one of the four hitters without a home run this season. Despite his poor numbers, the second baseman led the charge, tripling for the team’s first hit of the game in the third inning before singling home Brandon Crawford on the eighth pitch of his at-bat in the fourth.
After legging out his third inning triple, Tomlinson scored on an infield single by leadoff man Chase d’arnaud to push the Giants ahead 1-0.
Suárez couldn’t hold one-run leads in either the third or fourth innings, as the Mariners struck back in both frames with a run of their own. Longoria rehab continues The Giants were hopeful third baseman Evan Longoria could rejoin the club in Seattle, but Bochy announced Tuesday he’ll need to play a few more rehab games.
Longoria (fractured hand) has been out since June 16 and was scratched from Tuesday’s Triple-a lineup with a left bicep contusion. The veteran infielder was hit by a pitch in his final plate appearance Sunday, but is expected to start for the Sacramento River Cats today.