SF Giants edge the Boston Red Sox in 11 innings

The Giants’ Joc Pederson follows through on his swing, which produced a game-ending RBI single in the 11th inning against the Red Sox on Sunday. Kavin Mistry/Getty Images

2023.07.30 – Joc Pederson singled in Patrick Bailey in the 11th inning, and the San Francisco Giants edge Boston 4-3 on Sunday for their first home series win against the Red Sox since 2004.

Bailey began the inning at second base. After Casey Schmitt was hit by a pitch from Mauricio Llovera (1-1), Brandon Crawford attempted to sacrifice the runners over. But Boston catcher Connor Wong was unable to field the ball and Crawford reached on an infield single.

Pederson, on deck, was just hoping the bunt would stay fair.

“It was so close to the line, it was the perfect bunt,” Pederson said. “The catcher would have to make a perfect pickup and throw to get him and he bobbled it, so the positioning of the bunt put a lot of pressure on him.”

The bunt was called from the bench, and, Crawford said, “I wanted to hit in that situation, obviously, but with Joc behind me, I know my job in that situation.”

Pederson then lined a 1-2 sinker from Llovera into right field.

It was the second time this season that San Francisco won on a game-ending play with Pederson at the plate. He drew a bases-loaded walk to beat San Diego on June 20.

“You definitely want to be aggressive,” Pederson said. “The pressure’s on the pitcher. They’re wanting to throw strikes and not get behind in the count. That definitely plays into it.”

Wilmer Flores and Luis Matos each had two hits for San Francisco (58-48), which is on top of the NL wild-card standings after winning six of seven.

“It just shows that you get to still win games even when you don’t get a ton of hits,” Pederson said. “The scrappy, grindy just kind of comes out. It’s easy to win games when you put up 12 hits and six-seven runs, but that was more playoff baseball — you face good pitchers. You don’t get a ton of hits, but when you have opportunities, you’ve got to capitalize. That’s what makes a team special in the playoffs.”

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2023.07.30 (SF Giants vs. Boston Red Sox) See Full Highlights

The Giants’ Joc Pederson flip the bat after producing a game-ending RBI single in the 11th inning against the Red Sox on Sunday. Kavin Mistry/Getty Images

2023.07.30 (SF Giants vs. Boston Red Sox) See Full Highlights

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2023.07.30 (SF Giants vs. Boston Red Sox) See Full Highlights

“Some teams just have a flair for some late-inning heroics. Seems like this team has that for sure,” said Ross Stripling, who pitched 4 1/3 innings of one-run ball in relief of opener Scott Alexander. “Sometimes we don’t even come alive until like the seventh inning. The struggles that we’ve been through have brought us really close together as a group.”

Justin Turner and Adam Duvall homered for Boston. The Red Sox have lost consecutive road series for the first time this season.

Boston (56-49) missed a chance to take the lead in the top of the 10th when Tristan Beck (2-0) got Yu Chang to strike out swinging with two runners on.

The Giants were up 2-1 when Turner hit his 17th homer, a two-run shot off Tyler Rogers in the eighth. But Bailey tied it at 3 with a run-scoring ground-out in the bottom half.

Turner’s drive to left spoiled a strong outing by Stripling, one of San Francisco’s top offseason acquisitions.

Stripling retired 13 of his 17 batters. He allowed four hits, struck out three and walked none.

After Duvall chased Stripling with his leadoff homer in the seventh, the Red Sox put two runners on before Triston Casas flew out to center fielder Matos, who threw to second for an inning-ending double play.

FOR OPENERS

Alexander threw 16 pitches and retired five batters. Boston’s Brennan Bernardino allowed one hit and one run on 27 pitches in one inning of work.

San Francisco improved to 13-4 this season when using an opener.

GOLD GLOVE GEM

The 36-year-old Crawford returned to the lineup after missing 12 games with left knee inflammation, and the shortstop showed why he’s still considered one of the best infielders in the game. The four-time Gold Glove winner snared Turner’s sharp grounder then made a backhanded flip to second baseman Schmitt, who threw to first to complete a double play.

“In theory, now you’re going to face Joc or Wilmer Flores with the game on the line,” Kapler said. “It’s a pretty good situation for the Giants, and Craw made that happen. He’s just heads up. He can make any play.”

2023.07.30 – SF Giants vs. Boston Red Sox (Larry Krueger – post-game)

Boston’s Justin Turner celebrates after hitting a two-run home run to give his team a 3-2 lead over the Giants in the eighth inning Sunday. John Hefti/Associated Press

2023.07.30 – SF Giants vs. Boston Red Sox (Larry Krueger – post-game)

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2023.07.30 – SF Giants vs. Boston Red Sox (Larry Krueger – post-game)

San Francisco had to come back to secure the win and the series victory because Justin Turner — a longtime Giants thorn with the Dodgers — belted a two-run homer in the eighth off Tyler Rogers. Turner is 6-for-10 lifetime against Rogers and in 143 games against San Francisco, he has 16 homers and 65 RBIs.

“What I see is a team that’s playing really good defense and pretty consistent defense,” San Francisco manager Gabe Kapler said. “In the biggest moments we’re making plays.”

Mike Yastrzemski pinged a pinch-hit double to open the third, went to third on a groundout and stayed there when Marco Luciano and J.D. Davis struck out. An inning later, Pederson was a defensive replacement for Yastrzemski, who left with what the team described as left hamstring tightness.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Giants: RHP Anthony DeSclafani was placed on the injured list with an elbow flexor strain. … OF Mike Yastrzemski was removed from the game due to left hamstring tightness.

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2023.07.30 – SF Giants vs. Boston Red Sox (Locked On post game)

The Giants’ Joc Pederson (obscured) is congratulated by teammates after he hit a bases-loaded single in the 11th inning to give his team a 4-3 win over the Red Sox on Sunday. John Hefti/Associated Press

2023.07.30 – SF Giants vs. Boston Red Sox (Locked On post game)

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2023.07.30 – SF Giants vs. Boston Red Sox (Locked On post game)

The Giants scooched their way to two games behind the first-place Dodgers in the NL West and retained the top wild-card spot while earning their second home-series win ever over Boston. Their first came in 2004.