Lincecum, Duffy lead Giants past Mariners
SAN FRANCISCO -- Tim Lincecum picked up his seventh win of the season and Matt Duffy cracked a two-run homer as the Giants snapped a nine-game losing streak at AT&T Park with a 6-2 victory over the Mariners on Tuesday.
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Lincecum (7-3, 3.31 ERA) gave up two runs and five hits over 5 2/3 innings, with Mariners shortstop Brad Miller accounting for both runs on a solo homer and an RBI single. The Giants (35-31) clinched the win with three runs in the eighth off Seattle reliever Tom Wilhelmsen as they ended their longest home losing streak since an 11-game skid in 1940 at the Polo Grounds.
"We've been grinding a lot and the beginning of games haven't been starting out very well," Lincecum said. "It's fun to watch us fight and battle the way through our game, especially with all of the stuff we've been going through lately."
J.A. Happ (3-3, 3.79) gave up seven hits and three runs over six innings and took the loss for Seattle, which closed out a 4-4 road trip by splitting its first Interleague series at AT&T Park since 2000. The Mariners are 29-36 as they head home to open another two-game set with the Giants at Safeco Field.
"A win today would have made it a great trip; 4-4 in my opinion is just an average trip," said Seattle manager Lloyd McClendon. "We certainly had opportunities. We just couldn't close it out today."
Duffy collected three hits, three RBIs and two runs scored in his third three-hit game this season.
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Duffy goes deep: The Giants third baseman opened up the scoring with a two-run home run in the bottom of the second inning. With the count 2-2 and Buster Posey on first base, Happ challenged Duffy with a fastball high and inside, which he deposited into the left-field seats for his sixth long ball of the season. It was the Giants' first home run at AT&T Park since Brandon Crawford's blast off the Pirates' A.J. Burnett on June 2.
Video: SEA@SF: Duffy belts two-run shot to left field
"The most important thing today was getting on the board first before them," Duffy said. "That's something we haven't been able to do this past week. Whenever you can give pitchers a cushion, they can go out there and attack the zone, and Timmy did a great job of that today." More >
Miller flies solo: The Mariners finally nicked Lincecum for a run in the fifth with Miller's leadoff homer, an opposite-field shot projected to land 399 feet away by Statcast™. Miller's first home run since May 17 was his sixth of the year, tying him with Oakland's Marcus Semien for the most among American League shortstops. All six of Miller's homers have been solo shots, which is a team-wide trend as 47 of Seattle's 68 homers this year have come with the bases empty. Miller added an RBI single in the sixth in a 2-for-4 day.
Video: SEA@SF: Miller connects for a solo home run
"I'm just trying to be ready when I get in the box," Miller said after hitting Lincecum's first-pitch curve. "If something comes over the zone, take a nice healthy cut. I was pretty happy with that one." More >
Pagan extends the lead: On a 3-2 count with two outs and runners on first and second in the fifth inning, Angel Pagan hit a blooper to right field that dropped just in front of Nelson Cruz. Catcher Andrew Susac scored easily from second base, giving the Giants back the run they gave up on Miller's blast.
Video: SEA@SF: Pagan plates Susac with a single in the 5th
QUOTABLE
"A lot of times you are frustrated because you make a mistake. Duffy hit the pitch I wanted to throw. I don't know how he hit that ball. He put a heck of a swing on it. The pitch before, I went down and in and I wanted to go up and in and it was there and then some. I don't know. Not many people hit that ball where it was. You just kind of shake your head." -- Happ on Duffy's homer on a 2-2 fastball.
REPLAY REVIEW
The Giants successfully challenged a safe call at first on Happ's attempted sacrifice bunt in the top of the fifth. Happ's bunt right in front of the plate was scooped up by Susac, who fired to second to force Mike Zunino. Happ was ruled safe on shortstop Crawford's relay throw to first, but Giants manager Bruce Bochy challenged the call and it was quickly overturned after the review showed the ball reaching Posey's glove at first base just before Happ reached the bag.
Video: SEA@SF: Giants get double play after challenge in 5th
PAGAN, BOCHY TOSSED
With one out in the bottom of the eighth inning, Wilhelmsen threw Pagan consecutive borderline pitches, both of which home-plate umpire John Hirschbeck called for strikes. Pagan and Hirschbeck exchanged words before the batter was thrown out of the game. Bochy came out to have a lengthy conversation with Hirschbeck, eventually earning the manager his own ejection, while third-base coach Steve Decker and bench coach Ron Wotus restrained Pagan and brought him back to the Giants' dugout.
"In a one-run game, you hate to lose your center fielder," Bochy said. "Angel, he's flowery and competitive, and I guess he was told to stop and he didn't."
Video: SEA@SF: Pagan ejected after disputing call
SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS
Robinson Cano and Cruz each went 0-for-4 and continued their recent dry spells. Cruz has now gone 17 games without a homer and has just three RBIs in that span after hitting 18 homers and 38 RBIs in his first 46 games. Cano is 11-for-63 (.175) with no homers and three RBIs in his last 15 games.
WHAT'S NEXT
Mariners: Felix Hernandez (9-3, 3.38) returns to the mound Wednesday after the worst start of his 11-year career when Seattle takes on the Giants at 7:10 p.m. PT at Safeco Field. Hernandez has been outstanding this year, but gave up eight runs in one-third of an inning at Houston last Friday. He's 2-0 with a 2.57 ERA in three career starts against the Giants.
Giants: San Francisco sends Madison Bumgarner (7-3, 3.16) to the hill Wednesday to battle the Mariners for the second time in his career. The left-hander is 5-5 with a 4.31 ERA in 12 career Interleague starts.
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