Brett Wisely tied the game with a two-out, run-scoring single in the ninth inning and Tyler Fitzgerald scampered home on a wild pitch six pitches later as the San Francisco Giants to overtake the visiting Toronto Blue Jays 4-3 on Tuesday.
In the game that began with a successful return to the mound by Giants left-hander Blake Snell, the hosts trailed 3-2 before Patrick Bailey’s one-out single and Fitzgerald’s two-out walk in the ninth off Blue Jays reliever Trevor Richards (1-1).
That set the stage for Wisely, whose grounder up the middle found its way into center field.
No longer in a position to record his first save since 2021, Richards then got two strikes on Thairo Estrada before a foul ball preceded two balls. The next pitch was in the dirt and got away from catcher Danny Jansen, allowing Fitzgerald to race in for the walk-off win.
Erik Miller (3-2), who pitched a scoreless top of the ninth, was credited with the win as the Giants ended a two-game losing streak.
Earlier, Ernie Clement hit a three-run home run and Yusei Kikuchi struck out a career-high 13 as the Blue Jays overcame a strong start by Snell to take a 3-1 lead.
Sidelined since early June due to a strained left groin, Snell pitched five innings of shutout ball, allowing just one hit. He struck out three and walked three.
The reigning National League Cy Young Award winner, winless in three decisions this season, left with a 1-0 lead, the product of a Heliot Ramos home run in the fourth inning. The solo shot was the All-Star’s 13th.
Clement’s homer, his fifth of the season, came in the seventh off the Giants’ third pitcher, Ryan Walker, and gave the visitors their two-run advantage.
Kikuchi allowed a second homer — Fitzgerald’s second of the year — leading off the eighth. The left-hander then struck out Wisely to set a personal best for K’s before getting pulled.
Kikuchi was charged with two runs on six hits and no walks in 7 1/3 innings.
Wisely, Ramos and Bailey had two hits apiece for the Giants in the opener of a three-game interleague series.
In seeing a two-game winning streak come to an end, the Blue Jays finished with just three hits, including Clement’s homer and a double by pinch hitter Spencer Horwitz.
–Field Level Media
