San Francisco, CA (Sports Network) – Ryan Vogelsong pitched into the eighth inning, Ryan Theriot drove in a pair of runs and the Giants defeated the Rangers, 5-2, on Saturday.
San Francisco was shut out by Matt Harrison Friday night in the opener of this three-game interleague series, but Vogelsong (5-2) responded with an impressive outing.
He lasted 7 2/3 innings, gave up three hits, including an eighth-inning solo homer to Mitch Moreland, and won his fifth straight decision. At the plate, he singled and scored a run.
Pablo Sandoval, who was reinstated from the disabled list prior to the game, Angel Pagan and Nate Schierholtz each had an RBI for the Giants, winners in 16 of their last 23 games overall.
Scott Feldman (0-5) was charged with three runs — two earned — on four hits over 5 1/3 innings. He walked one, struck out seven, and dropped his fifth straight start.
The Rangers, who committed several costly errors, have lost eight of their last 11 games.
Vogelsong’s base hit came in the third inning and was followed by Gregor Blanco’s single, which placed runners at the corners with one down. Theriot then hit a slow grounder towards second base.
Ian Kinsler fielded the ball and initially attempted to tag Blanco, who stopped between first and second. Unable to reach Blanco, Kinsler went to first, but his high throw sailed past Michael Young, allowing Vogelsong to score.
Josh Hamilton was charged with an error in the fifth inning when he lost Brandon Crawford’s leadoff fly to shallow left field in the sun. Crawford reached second on the play and scored on Theriot’s two-out base hit to right.
An inning later, Pagan drew a walk and crossed the plate when Schierholtz tripled off the brick facade in right.
Blanco singled in the seventh, moved to third base on an errant pickoff attempt by Koji Uehara, and scored on Sandoval’s two-out single up the middle. Buster Posey and Pagan followed with consecutive hits to plate Sandoval.
Mike Napoli capped the scoring with a two-out homer in the ninth.
Game Notes
Sandoval had surgery on May 4 to repair a broken hamate bone in his right hand. Also on Saturday, the Giants optioned pitcher Steve Edlefsen to Triple-A Fresno and recalled pitcher George Kontos from the same club…The Giants have gone a franchise record-tying 15 straight home games without a homer. They also reached the dubious mark from Sept. 4-Oct. 3, 1980.
For more on the Giants, read McCovey Chronicles.
