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Pagan's 3-run blast in 9th gets Giants past Reds

Apr 26, 2012 - 9:59 PM Cincinnati, OH (Sports Network) - Angel Pagan smacked a go-ahead three-run home run in the top of the ninth inning, lifting the San Francisco Giants past the Cincinnati Reds, 6-5, on Thursday.

Pablo Sandoval made Giants history with a leadoff single in the fourth. The single extended his hit streak to 19 games from the start of this season, passing Johnny Rucker's 18-game stretch to begin the 1945 campaign for the longest in franchise history.

Javier Lopez (2-0) picked up the win with a scoreless eighth for San Francisco, which salvaged the finale of the three-game set.

Jay Bruce had three hits, including a two-run homer, while Scott Rolen added a solo shot for the Reds, who had won their last three games coming in.

Trailing 5-3 heading into the ninth inning, Sean Marshall (0-2) came on for Logan Ondrusek and walked Joaquin Arias to start the frame and Ryan Theriot followed with a base hit to left-center field. Two batters later, Pagan belted a 1-2 breaking pitch into the seats in left field to make it 6-5.

"He threw it in my zone," Pagan said. "I just tried to put it in play, and it went out of the park."

Santiago Casilla struck out the side in the bottom of the ninth to record his second save of the season

The Reds got on the board first with a two-run second. Brandon Phillips and Bruce singled to start the frame. Three batters later with the bases loaded and one out, Devin Mesoraco lifted a sacrifice fly to center field, plating Phillips. Homer Bailey stepped up next and smoked a base hit to right field, bringing home Bruce.

San Francisco, though, rallied to tie the contest at 2-2 with a two-run fourth. Sandoval led off with a single and Buster Posey followed with a walk. Two batters later, Brandon Belt singled up the middle to bring home Sandoval. Joaquin Arias then reached on Zack Cozart's error at shortstop and Theriot plated Posey with a sac fly to center field.

Cincinnati surged ahead with a two-run sixth. Phillips began the frame with a single and Bruce followed with a towering shot that just snuck over the wall in right-center field, giving the Reds a 4-2 lead.

The Giants cut the deficit to 4-3 after plating a run in the seventh. Arias doubled to start the inning, moved to third on Theriot's single and came home on Gregor Blanco's sacrifice fly to right field.

The Reds, though, got the run back in their half of the seventh on Rolen's moonshot off the facade of the second deck in left field to make it 5-3.

Giants starter Ryan Vogelsong allowed seven hits and four runs over six frames, while Bailey gave up seven hits and a pair of earned runs while fanning six over 6 1/3 innings.

"Today, we really had the fastball and split working," Bailey said. "I got some ground balls and some quick outs."

Game Notes

Sandoval's hitting streak is the second longest of his career. He had a 22- game hit streak last year from June 19-July 30. Jack Clark owns the San Franicsco-era Giants longest hit streak at 26 games in 1978.