SAN FRANCISCO---With 41,916 in attendance, the San Francisco Giants took on the San Diego Padres in the third game of a four-game series. The Giants scored early and reawakened in the eighth to tie the game—eventually heading to extra innings. After 14 innings, the three-game losing streak was broken in a 6-5 win over the Padres.
The contest had a familiar look as much of the game was spent with the score stuck at 5-3 in favor of the visiting team. The last two losses to San Diego resulted in a 5-3 score and the Giants were ready to break the pattern.
Giants starter Madison Bumgarner began the game shakey, allowing two runs on three hits in the first inning, and never seemed to garner much command of the strikezone.
“It was a rough go tonight for me. I didn’t have great stuff and I was trying to work with it,” Bumgarner said. “I did a terrible job of keeping my composure, about as bad a job as I could do. I let a lot of things get to me.”
After six innings of work, Bumgarner was pulled out of the game in which he struck out six batters and gave up five runs on nine hits and one walk.
San Francisco managed to get five hits off of Padres starter Dustin Moseley, who struck out a career-high nine hitters. Three of those hits came off of the bat of outfielder Andres Torres, who also contributed to the defense with spectacular outstretched grabs in deep centerfield.
“This was a big game for him [Torres], for his confidence,” Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. “This was big for him to come back and have a nice game, a couple beautiful plays out there. He really had a great game, too, which we needed.”
It wasn’t until the bottom of the eighth inning that the Giants got a boost that ignited the team and a sold-out AT&T Park. With one out and two on, infielder Pablo Sandoval hit a two-run double that tied the game and subsequently extended his hit streak to a career-high 17 games.
“I just tried to get a pitch to drive the guy in, just one to put the game closer,” said Sandoval. “I put the barrel on the ball and got a double.”
Giants closer Brian Wilson entered the game in the top of the ninth. As “Jump Around” blared from the ballpark’s speakers, Wilson walked to the mound, fan excitement building with every step. It was clear the blown saves from days ago were still fresh in the minds of the fans as an eerie silence filled the yard when Wilson pitched to Padres third baseman Chase Headley with runners on first and third. Faith returned as Wilson struck Headley out.
San Francisco’s bullpen was outstanding tonight, retiring 17 batters in a row beginning with Headley. Wilson, Ramon Ramirez, Guillermo Mota, Sergio Romo, and Javier Lopez combined to throw eight scoreless innings in which they allowed only two hits, two walks, and struck out 13.
“We kind of take them [the bullpen] for granted sometimes because they’re so good every time they go out there,” Bumgarner said. “They won the game for us tonight.”
The night, however, also belonged to outfielder Nate Schierholtz. The 27-year-old hit two home runs in tonight’s win, including a solo home run in the bottom of the 14th inning that won the game—his first walk-off home run of his big league career. It was also the first time he hit two home runs in the big leagues.
When asked about how a big game like this felt, his answer was simple, “I’m excited.”
In addition to the elation, Schierholtz was clear that to him and to the team, the game was important.
“We needed this game. The first two were tough,” he said. “We seem to have pretty good battles with the Padres. We need to win at home. That’s big for us, so hopefully we can come tomorrow and tie up the series.”
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