Jesus Rodriguez delivered a walk-off single with the bases loaded and one out in the bottom of the 12th inning, capping a wild comeback as the San Francisco Giants erased a two-run deficit three times to defeat the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates 7-6 on Sunday afternoon.
After Ryan Borucki (1-1) left the potential go-ahead run stranded at third base in both the 11th and 12th innings, the Giants finally broke through. In the 12th, Pirates right fielder Ryan O’Hearn dropped a flyball off the bat of Matt Chapman, allowing automatic runner Heliot Ramos to advance to third with one out.
Following an intentional walk to Drew Gilbert that loaded the bases, Rodriguez—starting one day after catcher Patrick Bailey was traded to Cleveland—punched Justin Lawrence’s next pitch into shallow right field. Ramos scored easily, giving San Francisco the win.
Lawrence (0-2) took the loss after entering the game in the 12th.
Both teams plated two runs in the 10th. Spencer Horwitz gave Pittsburgh its third two-run lead with a two-RBI double, but Willy Adames answered with a two-out, two-run single off Yohan Ramirez, pulling the Giants even at 6-6.
The Pirates had already squandered two earlier two-run leads. The second came in the sixth inning when doubles from Rafael Devers, Ramos, and Chapman turned a 4-2 deficit into a tie.
Pittsburgh jumped on Giants starter Tyler Mahle early, scoring once in each of the first two innings. Nick Gonzales drove in the game’s first run with an RBI single in the first, and rookie Konnor Griffin followed with a solo home run in the second—his third in 35 major-league games.
The Giants tied the game with single runs in the third and fourth. Luis Arraez delivered an RBI single, and Ramos smacked a solo homer—his fourth of the season—to make it 2-2.
The Pirates responded again. Oneil Cruz led off the fifth with his 10th homer, putting Pittsburgh up 3-2. Horwitz added an RBI double in the sixth to extend the lead to 4-2.
Pittsburgh’s Bubba Chandler exited with that 4-2 lead after five innings, allowing two runs on five hits with one walk and three strikeouts.
Mahle lasted 5 2/3 innings, charged with four runs on five hits, walking two and striking out eight.
Adames finished with three hits, while Ramos, Devers, Chapman, and Jung Hoo Lee each added two for the Giants, who out-hit Pittsburgh 13-7.
Horwitz recorded three RBIs on two doubles for the Pirates, who concluded a 3-3 Western road trip.
