Giants sweep Pirates on Estrada’s home run
Thairo Estrada #39 of the San Francisco Giants hits a walk-off two-run home run in the bottom of the ninth inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Oracle Park on August 14, 2022 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)
2022.08.14 – Thairo Estrada hit a two-run homer with one out in the ninth inning and the San Francisco Giants edged the Pittsburgh Pirates 8-7 in a three game sweep Sunday.
For the first time in more than two months, the Giants swept a three-game series, and they did so in a distinctly 2021 fashion: with a walkoff homer by Estrada.
After pinch-runner J.D. Davis was forced out at second on a grounder by Mike Yastrzemski, Estrada cleared the wall in left-center for his 11th homer and first career walk off.
“I enjoyed every minute of it,” Estrada said through an interpreter. “As soon as I made contact, I knew it was gone.”
“I think that was a signal there’s still a lot of fight left in this room,” manager Gabe Kapler said.
The three-game sweep was the Giants’ first since one against the Dodgers at Oracle Park June 10-12 (they’ve since taken three of four twice) and it got them to .500 (57-57) for the first time in two weeks. The Giants even trimmed a little off their deficit in the chase for the third NL wild-card spot and now trail Philadelphia by six games and Milwaukee by 4½.
Pirates’ Bryan Reynolds homered, doubled and drove in five runs for Pittsburgh, who lost their fourth in a row. They went 2-8 on a road trip that covered nearly 6,000 miles from Baltimore to Arizona to San Francisco.
“It’s tough going back and forth,” Reynolds said. “It’s just how it goes sometimes. It stinks that’s how it ended. It’s been a grind but we showed today what we’re made of. We’re always getting in there and fighting.”
It was 6-all in the Pirates ninth when they put runners at first and second with one out. Rodolfo Castro hit a slow roller toward third base for an infield single and Evan Longoria’s throw sailed over first baseman Wilmer Flores.
Ben Gamel tried to score from first base, too, on the overthrow and was thrown out at the plate. The Pirates challenged the call, but it was upheld.
2022.08.14 (SF Giants vs. Pittsburgh Pirates) See video Highlights
Thairo Estrada #39 of the San Francisco Giants celebrates a walk-off two-run home run in the bottom of the ninth inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Oracle Park on August 14, 2022 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)
2022.08.14 (SF Giants vs. Pittsburgh Pirates) See video Highlights
2022.08.14 (SF Giants vs. Pittsburgh Pirates) See video Highlights
Camilo Doval (4-5) pitched the ninth for the victory working for a third straight day.
The team is starting to take on a more confident air since a major post-break flop. The Giants have won six of eight and now that the roster is at full strength, they appear poised to try to make a serious run.
“Definitely when you start winning games, you’re in a lot more games and building momentum and it’s not the team that wins most games in the regular season — it’s the team that gets hot in October,” said outfielder Joc Pederson, whose Atlanta team followed that format to win it all last year. “So anything’s possible and we’ll just build on that, find a way to continue to win ballgames.”
Pederson, hit by a pitch on his right pinkie in the fourth inning, came out of the game in the sixth. He said X-rays were negative and he expects to be available off the bench Monday and in the lineup Tuesday.
LaMonte Wade Jr. hit a three-run homer in the second to put the Giants ahead 4-0.
Reynolds had a two-run double in the fifth as Pittsburgh scored three times to close within 5-3. Reynolds, who had three hits, had a three-run homer in the seventh that put the Pirates ahead 6-5.
Brandon Crawford hit a tying double in the Giants seventh.
The Giants bullpen gave up a five-run lead after starter Alex Wood struck out a season-high nine in six strong innings.
“We won, that’s all that matters,” Wood said. “Made it a little interesting, but sweet swing by Thairo. He likes those moments and that was a good time for it.”
Wood posted a video on social media of the team greeting him in a congratulatory line in the clubhouse after the game, Estrada grinning widely.
“I think days like today when you get a big knock, a walkoff homer, you’ve got to be in the moment and let that ignite you a little bit,” Wood said. “It was nice to finish out the weekend, get a good sweep here at home, get something going here the next week. It’s going to be a big next two weeks for us.”
UP THE RANKS
Giants first baseman Brandon Belt tied former INF Robby Thompson for seventh-most games (1,304) in San Francisco history. The team moved West in 1958.
2022.08.14 (KRUEGER : Giants vs Pirates GM3 Post Game) See video
San Francisco Giants’ Joc Pederson, left, scores on Wilmer Flores’ RBI double past Pittsburgh Pirates catcher Jason Delay during the fourth inning of a baseball game in San Francisco, Sunday, Aug. 14, 2022. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
2022.08.14 (KRUEGER : Giants vs Pirates GM3 Post Game) See video
2022.08.14 (KRUEGER : Giants vs Pirates GM3 Post Game) See video
TRAINER’S ROOM
Pirates: 3B Ke’Bryan Hayes missed his third straight game with back spasms.
Giants: C Joey Bart played for the first time since last Monday after dealing with a sprained right ankle. “I don’t think there’s any restriction,” manager Gabe Kapler said. “He’s ready to rock and roll.”… LF Joc Pederson left the game with a bruised right hand after being hit by a pitch in the fourth.
UP NEXT
Pirates: Following an off day, RHP Mitch Keller (4-8, 4.25) takes the mound at home against Boston on Tuesday night to began a nine-game homestand. Keller is seeking to win back-to-back starts for the first time this season.
Giants: RHP Alex Cobb (3-6, 4.15 ERA) starts Monday’s series opener at home against Arizona, facing former Giants star Madison Bumgarner (6-11, 4.13). Cobb is seeking to snap a 12-start winless streak in which he is 0-5 since beating the Mets on May 17.
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Giants complete three-game Dodgers’ sweep