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Giants ride early burst of offense to beat Tigers

Sep 6, 2014 - 11:09 PM Detroit, MI (SportsNetwork.com) - Andrew Susac hit a two-run double, Pablo Sandoval added an RBI single and Joaquin Arias hit a run-scoring double in a four-run first inning, as the San Francisco Giants held on to top the Detroit Tigers, 5-4, in the middle test of a three-game interleague series.

Buster Posey finished 3-for-3 with a solo homer and two runs scored for the Giants, who have taken three of four and nine of 11 overall.

Madison Bumgarner (17-9) allowed three runs on 10 hits over six effective innings. Santiago Casilla finished the contest with a perfect ninth to earn his 15th save.

"Not striking out anybody doesnt necessarily bother me," Bumgarner said. "It was a gratifying win, to know when I'm not on my game I can battle and find a way to grind it out."

Miguel Cabrera hit two homers and knocked in three, with Victor Martinez contributing three hits including a solo shot for the Tigers, who remained two games back of Kansas City in the AL Central. The Royals lost to the Yankees later Saturday.

David Price (13-11) worked 8 2/3 frames and struck out 11, but surrendered five runs and nine hits for Detroit, which has dropped three of four.

Five consecutive two-out hits in the top of the first staked the Giants to a 4-0 edge. Posey and Hunter Pence singled, then Sandoval's base hit scored Posey, Susac's double to the gap in right center brought home two and an Arias double allowed Susac to cross the plate.

"I talked to my dad the other day," Susac said. "He said everybody does something great at this level. To be scared out there is not the approach I have."

Detroit got two back in the home half as Torii Hunter hit a one-out double and Cabrera cleared the wall in left. Both Victor and J.D. Martinez added singles, but Nick Castellanos killed the rally by hitting into a 5-4-3 double play.

Victor Martinez hit a one-out solo shot in the third, and Posey countered in the fifth to restore the Giants' two-run edge.

Cabrera led off the home eighth with his second homer of the contest -- off reliever Sergio Romo, who froze him with a called third strike to end the Fall Classic two years ago -- and the Tigers closed the gap to 5-4.

"I'll say this: I'm glad he hit the home run today and not the last game of (the World Series)," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. "He's a good hitter and (Romo) made a mistake."

Price was finally lifted with runners on the corners and two down in the ninth, then Phil Coke prevented San Francisco from padding its lead by retiring Joe Panik on a grounder to first.

Casilla set down the Tigers in order in the home half to preserve the winning margin.

Game Notes

Bumgarner became the first Giants starter to work at least six innings without a strikeout or walk since Kirk Rueter in 2003 against the Padres ... He's also the first San Francisco left-hander to win as many as 17 games since Shawn Estes posted 19 victories in 1997 ... Pence extended his hit streak to 18 games ... Price threw 115 pitches, 24 of those in the first inning alone ... Cabrera recorded his second multi-homer game of 2014 and the 30th of his career.