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Giants rally in ninth to top Tigers

Jul 2, 2011 - 6:58 AM Detroit, MI (Sports Network) - Pablo Sandoval drove in a pair of runs, including a hit that sparked a three-run ninth, as the San Francisco Giants held on for a 4-3 win over the Detroit Tigers to open a three-game set.

Aaron Rowand went 3-for-5 and scored twice for the Giants, who snapped a two- game losing streak.

Starter Madison Bumgarner tossed 7 1/3 solid innings, allowing just one run on five hits, but did not factor into the decision.

It wasn't a good night for either closer. Brian Wilson (6-1) blew his fourth save in the eighth, but still picked up the win after San Francisco sent nine batters to the plate in the ninth and scored three runs.

Detroit closer Jose Valverde (2-3) suffered the loss after giving up three runs on three hits and two walks in less than an inning. The loss wasted a solid start by Brad Penny, who pitched seven innings of one-run ball. He allowed just seven hits and struck out two for Detroit, which has dropped three of its last four games.

With San Francisco holding a 1-0 lead, Bumgarner walked Brandon Inge with one out in the eighth and Sergio Romo was called upon to face pinch-hitter Andy Dirks, who flied out to right.

Javier Lopez then took over and put the tying run on third when Brennan Boesch punched a single to center.

The famed bearded Wilson came in to try to get out of the jam, but Magglio Ordonez slapped a single through the right side to score Inge and knot the game. It was Wilson's second blown save in as many days.

The runners advanced to second and third on a wild pitch with Miguel Cabrera in the batter's box, but Wilson jammed him for a pop out to first to end the inning.

San Francisco, though, answered in the ninth to take the lead back. With Valverde on the mound, Chris Stewart led off with a double and Rowand singled to put runners on the corners. After Emmanuel Burriss struck out, Sandoval came up and drilled the ball deep into left-center and it bounced over the wall for a ground-rule double to give the Giants the lead.

Valverde then intentionally walked Aubrey Huff to load the bases and got Cody Ross to pop out for the second out. However, the closer lost his control and walked Nate Schierholtz to give the Giants an insurance run.

Brayan Villarreal replaced Valverde, but the result was the same as he walked in another run with a free pass to Brandon Crawford to give the Giants a 4-1 advantage.

"We waited to get all our runs in the ninth," Stewart said. "We will take whatever we can get. We trust that one run in the ninth is enough with our pitching staff, but sometimes things don't go that way."

The Tigers did not go quietly, though, after getting back-to-back singles to start the bottom of the ninth. They later loaded the bags with an Alex Avila walk.

Inge singled in Victor Martinez and Dirks reached on Burriss' fielding error that allowed Ryan Raburn to score. However, the Giants held on for the win as Boesch lined to short for a game-ending unassisted double play. Jeremy Affeldt, who faced the last two batters, recorded his third save.

"They got a couple runs unfortunately and it takes the wind out of our sails," Detroit outfielder Casper Wells said. "We got some confidence going in the ninth with some hits. Unfortunately we came up a little short."

Wells threw out Rowand at the plate in the first inning try to score on a foul pop up off the bat of Sandoval.

The Giants broke a scoreless game in the fifth thanks to the red-hot hitting of Sandoval. With Rowand on second and two down, Sandoval extended his hitting streak to 12 games with a double into the left-center gap that plated the run.

Game Notes

The Tigers placed right-handed pitcher Al Alburquerque on the 15-day disabled list before the game (retroactive to June 30) with right forearm flexor mass inflammation. The club recalled right-handed pitcher Lester Oliveros from Triple A Toledo to fill the roster spot. He pitched a scoreless eighth inning in his major league debut...San Francisco's Pat Burrell was supposed to bat DH but was scratched because of right foot soreness...The Giants improved to 23-12 in one-run games this season...The Tigers dropped to 4-4 on a 10-game homestand.