GIANTS 5, PIRATES 3
PITTSBURGH -- A makeshift lineup was more than enough for the San Francisco Giants.
Joe Panik hit a bases-loaded triple, Mac Williamson hit a 446-foot home run, and the Giants beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 5-3 Thursday for their 12th victory in 14 games.
The NL West leaders, already missing injured Hunter Pence and Matt Duffy, played without regulars Brandon Belt, Gregor Blanco, Brandon Crawford and Angel Pagan in the starting lineup.
"I'm proud of these guys with what we've gone through," Manager Bruce Bochy said. "You find a way to win the game with a rookie who battled very well today against a good club, a club we haven't had a lot of success against here and it's a great feeling."
The Giants took three of four at PNC Park. Pittsburgh has lost 11 of 14 and dropped to 5-17 in June, falling five games under .500.
After hitting a key double late in Wednesday night's victory, Panik put the Giants ahead 3-1 with his triple in the third inning. Williamson followed with an RBI single.
"If you only get one hit a game, you have to make them count, right?" Panik said.
Williamson connected for his second home run of the season in the sixth.
Albert Suarez (3-1) gave up 2 earned runs and 4 hits in 5 innings.
Suarez threw a season-high 102 pitches in his fourth start of the season while filling in for the injured Matt Cain. He struck out six.
"I was trying to be more aggressive," Suarez said. "You're going to have to be aggressive because if not, they're going to get comfortable."
Santiago Casilla struck out three in the ninth for his 16th save.
The Giants' bullpen shut down the Pirates for the second consecutive game. George Kontos, Hunter Strickland, Cory Gearrin and Casilla combined to pitched four scoreless innings a day after the Giants used five relievers to pitch six shutout innings.
Jonathon Niese (6-5) was tagged for five runs in six innings. He lamented the four-run third.
"The most frustrating part about that inning was that triple," he said. "I just wish I could have had that back. It was a sinker inside. He just got barrel on it. It's crazy how one swing of the bat can ruin your whole outing."
Gregory Polanco hit two sacrifice flies for the Pirates. Josh Harrison added an RBI triple.
MARLINS 4, CUBS 2 Giancarlo Stanton homered in the fourth inning and singled home the go-ahead run with two outs in the eighth, helping host Miami send Chicago to its fourth consecutive defeat. The Cubs still have the best record in the majors, despite their longest losing streak of the season.
BRAVES 4, METS 3 Adonis Garcia hit a goahead, two-run home run off Addison Reed in the eighth inning and Atlanta beat visiting New York for the fourth consecutive time in a week. The Braves trailed 3-2 when Freddie Freeman opened the eighth with a single off Jerry Blevins. Reed (1-2) relieved with one out and Garcia connected for his fourth home run.
PADRES 7, REDS 4 Derek Norris hit a three-run home run that completed San Diego’s sixth-inning comeback, and the NL’s highest-scoring team in June rallied for a victory over host Cincinnati in a matchup of last-place teams. Christian Friedrich (4-2) allowed four runs in five innings, including Adam Duvall’s two-run home run.
DIAMONDBACKS 7, ROCKIES 6 Nick Ahmed had a two-out, RBI single in the ninth inning and visiting Arizona recovered after blowing a late lead to beat Colorado. Down 6-3, the Rockies rallied to tie it on D.J. LeMahieu’s RBI bunt single in the eighth. Daniel Hudson was charged with three runs, but Brad Ziegler (2-2) allowed LeMahieu’s single, ending his streak of 43 consecutive successful save attempts.
AMERICAN LEAGUE
TIGERS 5, MARINERS 4 (10) Pinch runner Cameron Maybin easily scored on a bases-loaded wild pitch by Steve Cishek with two outs in the 10th inning, giving host Detroit a victory over Seattle and a four-game sweep. The Mariners, who missed a chance when Robinson Cano struck out with a runner on third to end the 10th, lost their sixth in a row. Steven Moya drew a one-out walk from Cishek (2-4) and Maybin pinch ran. Pinch hitter Victor Martinez singled, with an error by left fielder Seth Smith on the play putting runners on second and third. After an intentional walk to load the bases, Andrew Romine struck out. Cishek then threw a pitch that catcher Chris Iannetta couldn't corral, allowing Maybin to run home. Kyle Ryan (3-2) earned the victory by escaping a jam of his own making in the 10th.
RED SOX 8, WHITE SOX 7 (10) Xander Bogaerts singled in the game-winning run in the 10th inning as Boston beat visiting Chicago and averted a sweep of their four-game series. Chicago led 3-0, 4-1 and 7-5 before Boston sent it into extra innings with a run in the seventh and another in the eighth.
INTERLEAGUE
PHILLIES 7, TWINS 3 Freddy Galvis homered and drove in a career-high five runs to help visiting Philadelphia end a nine-game losing streak and beat Minnesota. Cesar Hernandez tied a career-high with four hits and slumping Ryan Howard homered as part of his first multiple-hit game since April 29. Jerad Eickhoff (5-9) gave up 1 earned run and 5 hits in 6 innings. In winning 3 of his past 4 starts, Eickhoff has allowed 5 earned runs in 24 2/3 innings. The last three Philadelphia victories over a 17-game span were all Eickhoff victories. Looking to become the Twins first pitcher with four victories, Ricky Nolasco (3-5) allowed 10 hits and four earned runs in 6 2/3 innings.
Sports on 06/24/2016