Posey Hoping To Play; Giants Fall 4-2 To D'backs
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) Buster Posey was the center of attention and he wasn't even in the lineup. The reigning NL MVP is one of the bright spots of a disappointing season and not having him out there hurts.
Especially when the Giants lose.
Pablo Sandoval had two hits and drove in a run in the San Francisco Giants' 4-2 defeat to the Arizona Diamondbacks on Thursday night.
Hector Sanchez also drove in a run and Brandon Belt had two hits for the Giants, who have lost three of four.
X-rays on Posey's swollen right ring finger revealed a fracture at the tip. It's an injury that heals itself and Posey could play through it.
Ryan Vogelsong (3-5) lost for the first time since May 15, though he missed 69 games with a fractured right hand. He gave up four runs and eight hits over 4 2-3 innings, walking three and striking out three.
"I made some bad decisions on some selections," Vogelsong said. "On top of that I didn't execute the ones I picked."
Sandoval tripled home a run and scored on Sanchez's sacrifice fly in the fourth. Arizona manager Kirk Gibson was ejected on the play for arguing the call.
Vogelsong retired the first two batters in the fifth and then didn't get another out, giving up four runs and five hits with a walk before he was replaced by Jake Dunning.
"He just lost it," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. "He had two outs and nobody on and he had trouble making a pitch there. He got the ball up and made some mistakes. It got away from him."
X-rays on Posey's swollen right ring finger revealed a fracture at the tip. It's an injury that heals itself and Posey could play through it.
Posey, the only Giants player with an average above .300, will get a few days to allow his finger to calm down.
"Throwing will be all right," Posey said. "I haven't grabbed a bat yet, but I'll test that tomorrow. From what I'm hearing from the trainers and doctors, once it calms down I can play through it."
There's no reason to push Posey into playing sooner rather than later except that he wants to get back into the lineup as soon as possible.
"There's not a lot he can do with it," Bochy said. "He can play with it as he can tolerate it. We'll probably give him a couple of days."
Posey, meanwhile, is thankful the injury is on the top hand of his swing. He thinks he can get away with not using it as much as a result.
"I'll have something hard, like plastic, that will help protect it," Posey said. "It's not displaced so it will correct itself."
Hunter Pence, who walked twice and scored a run, has reached base safely in each of the past 14 games. He's hitting .329 since the All-Star Break.
NOTES: LHP Jeremy Affledt went through fielding drills and will throw 40 pitches to hitters on Friday. ... RHP Chad Gaudin threw a bullpen session and is closer to returning. ... RHP Yusmeiro Petit will start Friday's game for the Giants. He's won both of his previous two starts. ... Vogelsong has 97 strikeouts in the first inning, his best of any inning. ... Giants C Johnny Monell made his major league debut, popping out to shortstop to end the game.
