Giants handed first walk-off loss of season

NEW YORK -- The Giants scored at least one run in the first inning of all three games of this series against the Mets, including two during the opening frame Thursday, but they missed an opportunity to get more after loading the bases with nobody out.

Eight innings later New York was celebrating a 5-4 walk-off victory after a single by Michael Cuddyer, handing San Francisco its first walk-off defeat of the season.

Sergio Romo drilled Curtis Granderson with an 0-2 pitch with one out in the ninth inning, followed by a passed ball and groundout to set up Cuddyer's heroics.

That the Giants survived this long without losing in the final at-bat is a testament to the strength of their bullpen. Entering Thursday, they were 3-0 when tied after eight innings before falling in this game.

"We're at the point now where this is kind of our motto," said reliever George Kontos, who fired 1 1/3 scoreless innings Thursday. "Everyone has trust in each other, everyone has each other's backs. Whoever it is that day we have full confidence that they're going to get in there and do their job."

The Giants had Mets starter Jon Niese in trouble early in the game, as their first three batters reached to load the bases for the middle of their order. Buster Posey singled home a run, but Niese forced the next batter, Justin Maxwell, into a double play to limit the damage at two.

Video: SF@NYM: Posey opens scoring with RBI single

"Yeah you want to take advantage of that situation," manager Bruce Bochy said. "Got bases loaded there and we only get one run out of it. … In a close game, one-run game, you can look at a few things."

Still the Giants can take solace of heading back to AT&T Park winners of four out of six games on this road trip.

"We'll take two series," Bochy said. "You'd like to get greedy and get this one, but just couldn't hold the lead."