Rivera powers Mets over last-place Giants
SAN FRANCISCO – Rene Rivera homered twice, Rafael Montero pitched into the sixth inning in a spot start and the New York Mets swept the sliding San Francisco Giants with an 8-2 victory on Sunday.
Curtis Granderson and Jay Bruce also connected with home runs for New York, which had lost four straight and seven of eight coming into the series. Granderson went 2 for 3 with three walks.
San Francisco has lost five straight and 12 of their last 13 games.
Matt Moore (3-8) was charged with five runs and seven hits in 4 ⁄ innings.
Rivera hit a two-run homer in the second and a solo drive in the fourth. It was the first career multihomer game for the reserve catcher, who has played for five teams during parts of nine seasons in the majors.
Rivera shined defensively in Sunday’s win as well. He made a diving catch on Denard Span’s foul popup in the first inning, crashing into the fence behind home plate on the play.
Bruce added a two-run drive in the eighth for his team-best 20th home run, and Granderson went deep in the ninth inning.
Montero (1-4) allowed one run and five hits in 5 ⁄ innings. He struck out seven and walked two while throwing a season-high 104 pitches.
New York infielder Asdrubal Cabrera had his third straight multihit game since coming off the disabled list after being sidelined with a strained left thumb. He went 7 for 14 with three walks on the series.
Cabrera played second base in his first two games after the injury, prompting him to request a trade. But he was back at shortstop for the series finale.
In his first game back after serving a six-game suspension for his role in a brawl with Bryce Harper of the Washington Nationals, Giants reliever Hunter Strickland gave up the home run to Granderson in the ninth inning and hit infielderWilmer Flores three batters later.
Buster Posey had two RBIs for San Francisco. Span and Hunter Pence had two hits apiece.
TRAINER’S ROOM Giants: LHP Madison Bumgarner (separated left shoulder) will throw his next bullpen session with the team in San Francisco later this week, manager Bruce Bochy said. Bumgarner was scheduled to throw a simulated game in Arizona on Sunday. OF Austin Slater left in the seventh inning with tightness in his right hip flexor. Utilityman Eduardo Nunez (hamstring) took ground balls Sunday and could be activated as soon as Friday, Bochy said.
UP NEXT Mets: After today’s off day, RHP Robert Gsellman (5-5, 6.04 ERA) will pitch the series opener against Miami. He has given up 15 runs in 9 ⁄ innings over his last two starts.
Giants: RHP Jeff Samardzija (2-9, 4.74 ERA) will pitch today’s series opener against the Colorado Rockies. Samardzija is 0-3 with a 9.33 ERA in three outings against the Rockies this season. Six of Samardzija’s last eight outings have been quality starts.