The San Francisco Giants visited Safeco Field on Friday night to kick off a three-game interleague series against the Seattle Mariners. Safeco was unusually kind to the long ball on the Giants' part and Ryan Vogelsong was once again fantastic as San Francisco won by a final score of 4-2.
The Giants struck first in the second inning, as Buster Posey launched an upper-deck solo home run to left field to open the scoring. In the top of the fourth inning, Brandon Belt doubled Angel Pagan to third base and Joaquin Arias brought Pagan home with a sacrifice fly to make it 2-0 Giants.
In the top of the eighth inning, with starter Jason Vargas still in the game (after a four-pitch seventh inning), Melky Cabrera hit his sixth home run of the season to left field. The two-run blast extended the Giants lead to 4-2. Cabrera, Belt and Gregor Blanco each had two hits in the game.
Vogelsong dazzled, allowing just two hits through seven innings of work. He came out for the eighth inning, but allowed two hits to lead off the inning and was pulled for Javier Lopez.
Lopez gave up a hit to pinch hitter Casper Wells, loading the bases for Ichiro Suzuki with no outs. Suzuki grounded into a fielder's choice that deflected off Lopez's glove, bringing a run home that was charged to Vogelsong. Sergio Romo came in with one out and runners at the corners. Romo got the double play ball he was looking for, but Pablo Sandoval booted it and could only get the out at first, cutting the San Francisco lead to 4-2. Romo would get another ground ball to finally end the inning.
Santiago Casilla pitched a perfect ninth inning for the save. Vogelsong's final line was two earned runs four hits and three walks in seven-plus innings, with six strikeouts.
For more in depth discussion and analysis of the Giants, make sure to check out McCovey Chronicles. For the M's side of the story please check out Lookout Landing.
