SAN FRANCISCO -- The Giants are accustomed to playing close games, but that doesn't mean they're always successful in those endeavors. Saturday provided another example, as Todd Frazier's sacrifice fly broke an 11th-inning tie and lifted the Mets to a 2-1 triumph over San Francisco in 11 innings.
The Giants have played a Major League-high 76 games decided by two runs or fewer, including nine of the last 10. They're 38-38 in those games, virtually matching their 68-69 overall record. This was one of those occasions when their luck -- and their pitching -- ran out.
Wilmer Flores doubled to open the 11th against Giants right-hander Hunter Strickland. Flores advanced to third base on Jay Bruce's groundout and scored on Frazier's fly to left.

But it wasn't as if the bullpen blew the game. Before Strickland appeared, Sam Dyson, Mark Melancon, Will Smith and Reyes Moronta combined to yield two hits and strike out six in four shutout innings.
"They kept putting up zeros to give us a chance," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said.
Turning more of these cliffhanger defeats into victories is simple. It requires not just more offense, but more timely offense.<p. 18th="" average="" batting="" francisco="" in="" majors="" position="" ranks="" runners="" san="" scoring="" the="" with=""> Hitting in any situation challenged the Giants on Saturday. They mustered three hits, including Evan Longoria's 15th homer in the third inning.</p.>
Both starters pitched effectively. San Francisco's Derek Holland lasted six innings while yielding four hits and a run. New York's Steven Matz often looked dominant, striking out 11 and walking one in a seven-inning, three-hit effort. This was the same Matz who allowed two runs in five innings to the Giants on Aug. 21 in New York.
The same man, maybe, but a different pitcher.
"He was throwing all four pitches for strikes," Giants catcher Nick Hundley said. "He was a lot crisper. His changeup and curveball were a lot sharper today, so he had that separation, whereas at their place it was all fastballs and cutters. He couldn't slow us down as much. He was throwing all three of his offspeed pitches for strikes and backed that up with 94-95 with action."
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Alen Hanson, given a chance to play shortstop while Brandon Crawford rests various aches and pains, sparkled defensively in the sixth inning by helping preserve a 1-1 tie. After Frazier stole second base, Hanson prevented him from advancing by pretending to have the ball in his glove when catcher Hundley's throw actually had skipped into center field.
Then, Michael Conforto grounded an infield single deep into the hole. Hanson fielded the ball and tossed it to third baseman Longoria, aware that he had no chance to throw out Conforto. Frazier, who had rounded third base, was tagged out easily, victimized by Hanson's heads-up reaction.

HE SAID IT
"We're not eliminated, so why throw in the towel? We're going to keep competing. We all have our own individual goals. We all want to win as a team. So who knows? You don't know what can happen. We can catch fire and get ourselves right into the playoffs." -- Holland

UP NEXT
Chris Stratton (9-7), the Giants' leader in wins this season, will make his first attempt at achieving a double-digit victory total when he faces the Mets in Sunday's 1:05 p.m. PT series finale. Stratton's career home ERA (4.57) is actually higher than his road ERA (4.44), and yet his career AT&T Park record is 9-3 compared to 5-8 on the road. He and the Giants will oppose the formidable Noah Syndergaard (9-3).