Giants get by errors, Yanks, to end streak
NEW YORK — There are must-win games to avoid elimination. There are must-win games to restore sanity.
And there are must-win games that might prevent a shouting match in the manager’s office. Bruce Bochy barked in anger after an inattentive Angel Pagan failed to score on a wild pitch in the 11th inning Saturday at Yankee Stadium. It was the kind of mistake that cannot happen for a team that hadn’t gotten clutch hits or found any breaks in a six-game losing streak.
But in the Big Apple, the worm finally turned. Mac Williamson hit a home run in the fifth inning and threaded an RBI single in the 12th, and Bo-
chy’s bullpen stood firm against the Yankees’ toxic trio of relievers as the Gi- ants snatched a 2-1 victory in the Bronx.
Two rookies rescued the Giants (58-39) from their six-game submergence out of the All-Star break. Trevor Brown doubled off Anthony Swarzak to start the 12th and Williamson, who had atoned for an earlier error by hitting his third home run of the trip, came through with the Giants’ only hit in 11 at-bats with runners in scoring position.
“They got a break there, and they deserved it,” Bochy said. “We made some mistakes, but it’s gratifying. What I liked is that Mac made the error but he put it behind him. He came up and hit a home run. That’s what you have to be in this game — resilient.”
Williamson had fumbled the ball in right field while charging Mark Teixeira’s single in the fourth inning, which allowed Didi Gregorius to score. It was a frustrating mistake for the Giants, especially after so many tantalizing chances to score didn’t go their way in the first three innings.
But Williamson, who got a rare start against a righthanded pitcher, is using an otherwise miserable trip to make a statement. He also put on a show for his parents, brother and other family members, who made the trip from North Carolina and are seeing him play in the big leagues for the first time.
“We’ve got a great group in here,” said Williamson, who has received counsel from Buster Posey and veteran pitcher Jake Peavy, who is letting him stay in his condo near the ballpark. “They’ve been great mentors to me. They’re confident in me and they just want me to be confident in me.”
Santiago Casilla, who could lose his closer role if the Giants trade for a highimpact reliever, saved his own victory. He escaped a bases-loaded situation not of his making in the 10th, then pitched a scoreless 11th to keep the game alive and save Pagan’s skin. Hunter Strickland handled the 12th to record the save.
Casilla was candid when asked about the Giants’ pursuit of the Yankees’ Aroldis Chapman and others, saying “of course it would bother me” if the club moved him into a setup role.
“I’ve been doing the job,” Casilla said through interpreter Erwin Higueros. “I have a lot of experience in the regular season and the playoffs. I have three World Series rings and I’ve shown I can do the job.”
The Giants broke their losing streak and retained their four-game lead in the N.L. West but carried over some of the habits that contributed to sweeps in San Diego and Boston. They committed two errors, and have made 11 in seven games since the break. They are hitting .125 in 64 at-bats with runners in scoring position.
And Pagan by all rights should have scored in the 11th after he walked, stole second base and advanced on a ground out. The Yankees set up to issue an intentional walk to Brandon Crawford but right-hander Dellin Betances looped the first pitch to the backstop.
Pagan, who had taken just a one-step lead off third base, got a late break and did not run. Bochy yelled from his perch against the dugout rail, and stared at Pagan the rest of the inning. Crawford grounded out and by the time Pagan returned to the dugout, Bochy had walked up the tunnel.
Bochy said he pulled aside Pagan after the game.
“He said the third baseman was on the bag (and ) he didn’t know if they’d throw over,” Bochy said. “He was being careful. He didn’t feel like he got a good enough jump, so he held up.”
The Giants pulled a surprise a few hours prior to the first pitch, switching the order of their rotation and giving the ball to Johnny Cueto to reestablish his alignment in the No. 2 spot behind Madison Bumgarner. A sellout crowd expected to see right-hander Jeff Samardzija, who is now listed to start Sunday.
Bochy apologized to reporters for the confusion, saying the plan was set several days ago to put Cueto back on his normal day, and he thought it had been communicated to the public.
Cueto still pitched with extra rest, and he appeared much crisper than he did in his previous start at San Diego or when he took the loss for the National League in the All-Star game. He struck out nine in six innings, and the only run he allowed was unearned.
“The guy on the mound set the tone,” Bochy said. “He’s such a battler, Johnny.”
“They’ve been great mentors to me. They’re confident in me, and they just want me to be confident in me.” — Giants rookie Mac Williamson, on the mentorship of veterans Buster Posey and Jake Peavy