Giants rookie came into the game with no Major League hits and two career runs. He didn’t add any knocks. But he equaled his career total in runs with some daring baserunning which proved to be the difference in the game.
Garrett Jones got things started with a solo homer off of San Francisco starter Matt Cain in the second inning. San Francisco tied it up using some old school playing. Aaron Rowand doubled and moved to third when Freddy Sanchez grounded to second. He scored on an Aubrey Huff sac fly to knot the score at one each. The Pirates got the run back immediately. With two outs in the bottom of the sixth, Matt Diaz walked and swiped second. He was singled home by Lyle Overbay. Neil Walker followed with a single, but Jones flied out to end the inning.
Bucs hurler Charlie Morton allowed the first two hitters of the seventh inning to reach base – Pablo Sandoval singled and Pat Burrell walked – and he was yanked in favor of Chris Resop. He got the next two hitters to foul out to Overbay at first base. Then he struck out pinch hitter Mike Fontenot to end the top of the seventh.
That’s when Ford began to cause havoc. Rowand singled to start the eighth off Evan Meek. Ford entered the game as a pinch runner. Sanchez contributed a hit and run single that moved Ford to third and he scored on a sac fly from Buster Posey to tie the game.
In the tenth, Nate Schierholtz led off with a double. Ford failed in his attempt to sacrifice him to third as Schierholtz was out and Ford was safe. But Ford made his way to third when Joel Hanrahan’s pick off throw was errant. Sanchez grounded to Walker at second and Ford took off from home once Walker threw to first. Overbay’s throw was off the mark and Ford scored the go ahead run.
Brian Wilson retired the Pirates in the bottom of the tenth for the save.
Morton went six plus and allowed two runs on four hits. He whiffed six and walked three. Cain’s line was similar – six innings of work and six whiffs. He also allowed four hits. He walked just one. But he surrendered two tallies. Wilson picked up his sixth save.
The Good
Nicely done by both Morton and Resop in relief with two men on and no one out in the seventh.
The Bad
Bucs got just five hits.
Giving up two late runs to lose it.
The Rest
Ford is no relation to former Orioles and Angels outfielder ‘Disco’ Danny Ford. He is the grandson of former Indian and Ranger Ted Ford.
Cain entered the game with just one win in seven career starts against the Pirates. Morton has one career win against the Giants.
If you look ahead two days you’ll see that former Pirate washout Ryan Vogelsong is scheduled to start on Thursday afternoon.
