Hundley's Pinch-Hit Single In 9th Rallies Giants Past Padres
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- Pinch-hitter Nick Hundley lined a two-run single off San Diego Padres closer Brad Hand with two outs in the ninth inning to give the San Francisco Giants a 6-5 comeback victory Monday night.
The Giants scored in only two innings and trailed 5-3 in the ninth before rallying for their third straight win and seventh in nine games.
Pinch-hitter Austin Slater was hit by Hand's first pitch in the ninth. After Gorkys Hernandez and Andrew McCutchen struck out, Buster Posey walked. Evan Longoria followed with an RBI single before Hand (1-3) walked Brandon Belt to load the bases.
Hundley took a ball, then lined the game-winner into left-center. Posey scored standing up and Longoria crossed home plate sliding as the rest of the Giants rushed out of the dugout to celebrate.
Pierce Johnson (1-1) retired three batters for the win.
McCutchen and Longoria each had two hits and an RBI for San Francisco. Posey and Austin Jackson also drove in runs.
The Giants improved to 6-2 on their 10-game homestand.
San Diego scored three times off reliever Reyes Moronta in the sixth to take the lead but stranded runners in scoring position in the seventh and eighth and left a man on first in the ninth.
Franchy Cordero had two hits and walked twice. Eric Hosmer also had two hits and Chase Headley added a pinch-hit RBI single for the struggling Padres.
The Giants' rally prevented Padres rookie Eric Lauer from getting his first major league win. The 22-year-old struck out six in five innings and pitched through traffic most of the night but left after San Diego took a 5-3 lead.
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