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Giants top Pirates in 10 innings

Apr 27, 2011 - 6:19 AM Pittsburgh, PA (Sports Network) - Freddy Sanchez's groundout scored Darren Ford with the go-head run in the top of the 10th inning and the San Francisco Giants held on for a 3-2 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates in the opener of a three-game set at PNC Park.

Aubrey Huff and Buster Posey each had a sacrifice fly for San Francisco, which was swept in a four-game series at home by Atlanta over the weekend.

Matt Cain pitched to a no-decision after turning in a quality start. The right-hander gave up two runs on four hits, fanned six and walked one.

"I just really made sure I challenged them," Cain said.

Sergio Romo (1-0) earned the win for tossing a perfect ninth and Brian Wilson locked the game down with a scoreless bottom of the 10th inning to record his sixth save of the season.

Garrett Jones hit a solo homer and Lyle Overbay had an RBI single for the Pirates, who have dropped five of seven.

Charlie Morton worked six-plus innings, allowing one run on four hits with three walks and struck out six, but did not figure in the decision. Pittsburgh manager Clint Hurdle liked what he saw in the start.

"Very solid. Very, very solid," said Hurdle.

The game was delayed 46 minutes by rain at the outset.

Pinch-hitter Nate Schierholtz led off the 10th with a double off Joel Hanrahan (0-1), then was thrown out trying to advance to third on Ford's bunt.

Hanrahan's errant pickoff attempt allowed Ford to reach third and Sanchez brought the run in with a ground out to second. Ford felt safe coming home when Pirates second baseman Neil Walker failed to hold him on after fielding the ball.

"He just glanced at me," said Ford. "Once he lobbed it over to first, I just took off."

Wilson came on for the bottom half and walked pinch-hitter John Bowker with one out, but got Jose Tabata to fly out and Andrew McCutchen grounded into a fielder's choice to end the game.

Jones' one-out solo homer to center field in the second gave the Pirates an early lead, but Huff's sac fly tied it in the sixth.

However, the Pirates went in front 2-1 in the home half when Matt Diaz walked with two away, stole second and scored on Overbay's base hit through the left side.

San Francisco stranded a pair of runners in the seventh, but were able to pull even in the eighth on Posey's sac fly to left

Both teams went quietly in the ninth to force extra innings.

Game Notes

Earlier on Tuesday, the Pirates claimed outfielder Xavier Paul off waivers from the Dodgers and moved left-handed pitcher Scott Olsen from the 15-day to the 60-day disabled list with a strained left hamstring...The Giants have won nine of the last 13 meetings with Pittsburgh.