Posey's pinch-hit double leads Giants over Indians
Buster Posey hit a two-out, two-run pinch-hit double in the bottom of the eighth inning as the San Francisco Giants beat the Cleveland Indians 5-4
SAN FRANCISCO Their worst season in years has afforded the San Francisco Giants few light-hearted moments.
A second straight dramatic win against a pennant contender gave them one such moment, and it happened to coincide with a Game of Thrones promotion they were plugging anyway.
"It's comfortable," a chuckling manager Bruce Bochy said, seated in the actual throne from which he held his postgame news conference. "We haven't had a lot of special moments, but you have to savor them when you have them and so we're having a little fun with this chair today."
Buster Posey pinch hit a two-out, two-run double in the bottom of the eighth inning as the Giants defeated the Cleveland Indians 5-4 on Wednesday.
Posey, on a scheduled rest day, doubled off the wall on a 3-2 slider on the seventh offering from Indians reliever Bryan Shaw (2-4).
He came through in a role he acknowledges he's struggled in.
"It's tough," Posey said. "My pinch-hitting numbers are not very good, but it's nice to come through."
Indians first baseman Carlos Santana booted an infield grounder that figured prominently in the three-run rally.
With two aboard and one out, Conor Gillaspie hit a ground ball that skipped through Santana's legs. Brandon Belt, who drew a one-out walk off Boone Logan, scored and Brandon Crawford went to third.
Posey's hit scored Crawford and Gillaspie to make it 5-4.
"At the last moment the ball took a big hop," Santana said. "That happens in baseball. I made a mistake, I feel bad about it."
The Indians lost for the sixth time in seven games as they concluded a 1-5 West Coast trip. The American League Central front-runners fell to 4-13 in interleague and are winless in six interleague series.
"We need something to happen," Santana said. "We'll keep fighting. Everybody wants to win."
Cory Gearrin (4-3) faced just one batter in the top of the eighth.
Denard Span of the Giants was 2 for 4 with two extra-base hits including his fourth career "splash" home run.
Span doubled leading off the game and scored on Crawford's infield grounder.
"The only thing about sitting in this chair, I've got to be honest, the kings sit in this chair, they get killed off. (CEO) Larry (Baer) wanted me to sit in this chair," Bochy said.
MICHAEL'S MILESTONE
Michael Brantley collected his 1,000th career hit in the top of the eighth inning when he doubled off Giants reliever Steven Okert.
SPLASH HITS
Span's home run sailed into McCovey Cove for his second splash hit this month. He's hit four of the last six splash home runs going back to Aug. 20 of last season (Belt has the other two).
TRAINER'S ROOM
Indians: RHP Corey Kluber (neck stiffness) will have his next turn in the rotation pushed back at least two days, manager Terry Francona said. RHP Danny Salazar will come off the DL (shoulder soreness) to start Saturday's game and either Kluber or RHP Josh Tomlin will start Sunday's game. The 2014 Cy Young Award winner didn't throw a bullpen session on his scheduled between-starts throwing day on Wednesday. . Reliever Boone Logan left Wednesday's game in the eighth inning with a latissimus dorsi strain. "It could be somewhat serious," Francona said. "He'll be examined tomorrow."
Giants: INF/OF Eduardo Nunez is experiencing lingering discomfort from a left hamstring injury he missed 20 games with last month. Bochy rested Nunez on Wednesday but said his condition isn't serious.
Indians: RHP Trevor Bauer will pitch Friday's series home opener against Toronto. Bauer lasted just 2/3 of inning in his last start on Sunday in which he threw 43 pitches and gave up four runs in a 7-3 loss to Oakland.
Giants: LHP Madison Bumgarner will make his first home start since suffering a Grade 2 AC joint sprain in a dirt biking accident on April 19 as the Giants open a four-game series with San Diego. The 2014 World Series MVP gave up three runs and four hits including two home runs to the Padres on Saturday in his first start since coming off the DL.