Their early 3-0 lead long gone, the San Francisco Giants got some big plays late to hand the free-falling San Diego Padres their sixth straight loss.
Gorkys Hernandez on Monday hit a go-ahead home run leading off the 12th inning, Will Smith struck out the last four San Diego batters and Austin Slater had a big play at first base as the Giants beat San Diego 5-3.
“Great win,” Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. “We had the lead and give them credit, they found a way to come back, but we hung in there with some gutty efforts there by everybody. We’ve had some tough losses, so it’s good to win one like this on the road. Hard-fought by all those guys out there.”
Photo: AP
The Padres had runners on first and third with one out in the 11th and failed to score.
Instead, they dropped to 2-8 since the All-Star break and lost for the 13th time in 15 games.
With runners on first and third in the bottom of the 11th, San Diego’s Austin Hedges bunted for the second out.
Pitcher Sam Dyson fielded it and made a low throw to Slater, who picked it out of the dirt.
Freddy Galvis advanced to second, but Christian Villanueva was not able to score from third.
“He threw it low and Slater picked us up,” Bochy said.
Will Smith (1-1) came on and struck out Carlos Asuaje. He then struck out the side in the 12th.
“That’s big. The winning run’s on third,” Smith said. “You definitely don’t want to cash in your buddy’s runs, that’s for sure. You’ve got to bear down and make some good pitches there.”
Hernandez homered to left on a one-two pitch from Matt Strahm (2-3), his 13th.
The Giants got another run on Buster Posey’s fielder’s choice blooper.
Watching the ball go out was “awesome, because we had the lead,” Smith said. “Twelfth inning like that, a game we really need to win, that was a big momentum swing. The dugout was loud, pumped up. He crushed it, so it was a big jolt for us.”
The Giants had a scoring chance in the 10th, when Andrew McCutchen was hit by a pitch from Kirby Yates with two outs.
He took third base when Buster Posey’s comebacker caromed off Yates’ glove and the pitcher threw it away at first for an error, but Yates got out of the jam when Evan Longoria popped up to second base.
Asked if Hedges bunted on his own, Padres manager Andy Green said: “That situation right there I’ve got confidence in him swinging the bat and I’ve got confidence in him laying the bunt down. So he’s got the ability to do both and that one just didn’t work out for us.”
Derek Holland pitched into the sixth inning for the Giants, allowing two runs and four hits, with five strikeouts and two walks.
He was lifted after walking Hosmer leading off the sixth.
Lauer went five, allowing three runs and seven hits, with three strikeouts and two walks.
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