Romo comfortable filling in as Giants' closer

SAN FRANCISCO -- As long as Sergio Romo remains capable of retiring Major League hitters, re-entering the closer's role should remain a smooth process for him.

Romo hasn't been the Giants' regular closer since June 2014, but he had little trouble recording his second save of the season in Monday's 4-2 decision over the Milwaukee Brewers. Filling in for Santiago Casilla, who needed a break after saving the previous two games, Romo has maintained a simple philosophy: Regardless of which inning he works, each out is equally essential.

"You have to get your job done. That's the one thing that, for sure, doesn't change," Romo said Tuesday. Reflecting his belief in this simple approach, as well as his effectiveness in setup situations, the right-hander began Tuesday with 21 holds, two behind Major League leader Tony Watson of Pittsburgh.

Romo acknowledged that trying to record a save comes with extra challenges.

"The crowd may get a little louder," said Romo, who ranks seventh on the Giants' all-time list with 80 saves. "Being able to tap into past experience does help, knowing that I can get it done."

Giants manager Bruce Bochy expressed appreciation for the versatility and depth of his relievers.

"I'm comfortable with Romo in the ninth inning, Hunter [Strickland], [George] Kontos, [Javier] Lopez and Jeremy [Affeldt]," Bochy said. "These guys are all used to pitching late in games."