Giants hit 3 RBI singles in 4-run 10th inning and rally from a 5-run deficit to top the Pirates 9-5

By WES CROSBY
Associated Press

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Patrick Bailey hit the first of three RBI singles in a four-run 10th inning, and the San Francisco Giants rallied from a five-run deficit for a 9-5 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday night.

Bailey started with a single to right off Carmen Mlodzinski (0-1), scoring automatic runner Thairo Estrada, before Jorge Soler followed with one up the middle to bring in Matt Chapman. A sacrifice fly from Brett Wisely plated Bailey ahead of another RBI single from Luis Matos.

Ryan Walker (4-2) struck out one in a perfect ninth for San Francisco, which blew a 6-2 lead in the ninth inning Tuesday before losing 7-6 in 10 innings to open the three-game series.

“This was a really big game for us,” Giants manager Bob Melvin said. “If we come back and don’t win that game, it’s almost like losing another really, really, really tough game.”

Chapman hit a two-run home run off Pittsburgh rookie Jared Jones in the sixth to follow an RBI single from Soler an inning before, cutting what had been a five-run deficit to 5-3 in the sixth.

Aroldis Chapman walked the first three Giants batters in the eighth before being pulled for Colin Holderman. After Bailey struck out, LaMonte Wade Jr. scored from third on a fielder’s choice just in front of the plate from Soler before Heliot Ramos went down swinging to end the threat.

“Just didn’t command the ball, very simply,” Pirates manager Derek Shelton said of Aroldis Chapman. “He threw the first two strikes to LaMonte, then after that, just lost control of the zone.”

Holderman gave up a two-out single in the ninth to Matos, who went to second on an error by Bryan Reynolds in left. Wade tied it 5-all with an RBI single to right.

“Last night was a tough one,” said Wade, who was 3-for-3 with three walks. “But you have to flush it and come back today. Down five and to come back like that, it’s a great win. Can build momentum off of that.”

Reynolds gave the Pirates the 5-0 cushion on his second grand slam in the majors with one out in the fourth, sending a hanging 3-2 knuckle curve from reliever Sean Hjelle 386 feet to right just after starter Blake Snell hit Andrew McCutchen with the bases loaded.

Snell, the 2023 NL Cy Young winner, came off the 15-day injured list to use 87 pitches (45 strikes) and allow four runs on four hits with five strikeouts and four walks in 3 1/3 innings. He had been out since April 19 because of a left adductor strain.

“I feel way better,” Snell said. “Results-wise, fans, people, they’ll be upset. Battling some things, so we’ll get those figured out and get going. But I feel good, so results will start coming.”

Jones went six innings, giving up three runs on six hits with five strikeouts.

“I feel like I just made one bad pitch and got hit for two runs,” Jones said. “It’s really just about it. … I don’t give up that home run to Chapman, throw a better pitch, probably walk away with a win.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Pirates: C Yasmani Grandal was not in the lineup because of left groin discomfort sustained while running in the ninth inning Tuesday.

UP NEXT

Pirates rookie RHP Paul Skenes (1-0, 2.70 ERA) will make his third start in the majors Thursday to close the series against the Giants, who have not announced a starter. Skenes, drafted first overall in 2023, did not allow a hit with 11 strikeouts and one walk over six innings his last time out, a 9-3 win at the Cubs on May 17.

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