Giants get 4 in 10th, hold on for wild victory

MILWAUKEE — A big 10th inning for the San Francisco Giants got off to a running start by distracting Milwaukee Brewers slick-fielding shortstop Orlando Arcia.

Gorkys Hernandez took off from first at right about the same time that pinch-hitter Kelby Tomlinson lined a bouncer to short. It probably would have turned into a double play if Arcia wasn’t covering the bag at second.

Instead, Tomlinson had an infield single, and Hunter Pence followed with an RBI single that opened the scoring in a four-run inning that gave the Giants a 9-5 victory Thursday.

The Giants overcame a rough outing by closer Mark Melancon, who blew a two-run lead in the ninth.

“They kept fighting. That’s all you can do,” Giants manager Bruce Bochy said.

His offense roughed up Brewers reliever Jacob Barnes (1-1) for five hits and four runs. Barnes didn’t record an out in the 10th.

The Brewers could have had two easy outs on a double play if Arcia wasn’t moving to cover Hernandez at second.

“They put runners in motion,” manager Craig Counsell said. “They got rewarded for contact.”

Until that point, the Brewers had the momentum after getting to Melancon.

Eric Sogard led off the ninth with a

homer, and Travis Shaw’s RBI single three batters later tied the game at 5 with no outs before Melancon got the next three hitters.

Melancon (1-1) ended up with the win in spite of giving up three runs and two hits.

Maybe this will be the victory that will give the Giants a spark. They split the four-game series with the Brewers and moved to 12 games under .500.

“We’ve had some tough times and you know, we give up a two-run lead there in the ninth and find a way to win the ball game,” Bochy said. “You keep doing that and we’ll get this turned around.”

Odd play — The ninth also featured an odd play after Thames reached on a walk. Jesus Aguilar followed with a double to left that got stuck under the padded outfield fence. Left fielder Orlando Calixte retrieved the ball, and a relay throw home to try to get Thames bounced to the backstop, allowing Aguilar to go to third.

The umpires ruled a groundrule double with the ball lodged, sending Thames back to third and Aguilar to second. Thames would eventually score on Shaw’s single.

The call was upheld after Counsell asked for a replay review. After the game, home plate umpire Ed Hickox said the play was ruled dead because of the lodged ball.