Nick Maton blasted a three-run homer in the bottom of the 11th as the host Detroit Tigers defeated the San Francisco Giants 7-5 on Friday.
Javy Baez, who was benched on Thursday after a baserunning gaffe, reached base four times and drove in two runs for Detroit. Starting pitcher Joey Wentz gave up one run in 5 2/3 innings and struck out seven but the bullpen squandered a three-run lead.
J.D. Davis hit a three-run homer for San Francisco. Thairo Estrada also homered among three hits and scored two runs.
Brandon Crawford led off the 11th against Jose Cisnero (1-0) with a single, moving automatic runner David Villar to third. Lamont Wade Jr. followed with an RBI single to left. The Giants were unable to push another run across.
In the bottom of the inning, Zach McKinstry reached on a fielder’s choice as automatic runner Ryan Kreidler beat the throw to third. McKinstry stole second as Jake Rogers struck out. Matt Vierling also struck out, but Maton blasted a 3-0 pitch from Camilo Doval (0-2) over the right field wall.
Giants starter Sean Manaea was removed after 3 1/3 innings. He gave up two runs and four hits and struck out four in throwing 82 pitches.
San Francisco took a 1-0 lead in the first. Estrada, the leadoff hitter, smashed a Wentz offering over the center field fence to culminate an eight-pitch at-bat.
The Tigers tied it in the bottom of the second. Baez led off with an infield single and Eric Haase followed with a double. Spencer Torkelson knocked in Baez with a sacrifice fly.
Detroit took the lead in the third. Vierling singled with one out and stole second. After Tyler Levin struck out, Riley Greene ripped a triple to bring in Vierling.
Vierling had a one-out double in the fifth off Jakob Junis, and Greene drew a two-out walk. Baez then drilled a double to left to drive in both runners and make it 4-1.
The Giants rallied in the eighth. Garrett Hill issued a leadoff walk to Estrada and allowed a one-out single to Mike Yastrzemski. Mason Englert entered in relief of Hill and gave up Davis’ homer to right to tie the score.
–Field Level Media
