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McClain, other rookies rally Giants past Pirates

Sep 7, 2008 - 5:58 AM By Michael Duca PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

SAN FRANCISCO (Ticker) -- Scott McClain, a 36-year-old rookie, capped a five-run rally in the seventh inning with his second career home run to lift the San Francisco Giants to a 7-6 come-from-behind victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Saturday.

Rookie Nate Schierholtz hit his first career blast and Rich Aurilia also homered for the Giants, who ended a seven-game home losing streak to the Pirates.

"It felt pretty good," said Schierholtz, an Olympian. "Obviously it's taken me a while, but I have a different feel of the game from last year."

Freddy Sanchez and Nate McLouth each drove in a pair of runs for Pittsburgh, which had won 14 of its previous 16 contests at AT&T Park.

McClain, who made his major league debut in 1998 and has played in parts of four seasons with three different teams, blasted a two-run shot over the left-center field wall to snap a 4-4 tie.

"Just coming in trying to get ahead right away and honestly I didn't think he was going to be swinging first pitch in that situation," Pirates reliever John Grabow said of giving up the home run. "Obviously, he was thinking first-pitch heater and he got it."

"I was just looking for a pitch up, and I put a good swing on it," McClain said. "I'm just trying to have good at-bats. Being 36, who knows how far my future goes in this game."

McClain, who hit his first career blast Wednesday after notching 362 homers in the minors and Japan over nearly 2,000 games, also singled in the fourth.

With the Giants trailing 4-1, rookie Pablo Sandoval started the seventh-inning rally by delivering a two-run single and later scored the game-tying run on a wild pitch.

San Francisco starter Matt Cain, who has suffered from a lack of run support all year, threw 6 2/3 innings and allowed 10 hits and four runs. Cain walked one and hit a batter while striking out two.

"They've got some guys who take long at-bats," Cain said. "You make good pitches and they foul them off. I left a couple over the plate and they took huge advantage of them."

Geno Espinelli (2-0) got the win, while Denny Bautista (4-2), who gave up four runs in the seventh, took the loss. Giants closer Brian Wilson notched his 37th save, the first five-out save of his career.

Pirates starter Paul Maholm scattered seven hits and a walk over six innings and departed with a 4-1 lead.

"It wasn't an easy outing for him," Pirates manager John Russell said. "He didn't have his stuff tonight and he found a way to get out of it. That's not a typical outing for him other than the score. It was the time of the game that he had done all he could do."