Giants rookies key their 7th-inning rally in a 6-4 win over the Pirates

Updated Jul. 15, 2023 12:10 a.m. ET

Associated Press

PITTSBURGH (AP) — San Francisco rookies Patrick Bailey and Luis Matos hit RBI singles during a three-run rally in the seventh inning that sent the Giants past the Pittsburgh Pirates 6-4 on Friday night.

With the Giants trailing 4-3, Wilmer Flores led off the seventh with a double and J.D. Davis walked with one out. Both runners advanced on Austin Hedges' passed ball, and Flores scored on Bailey’s single. Davis also came home on the play when right fielder Henry Davis overran the ball for an error.

Bailey stole second and then Matos capped the outburst with his two-out single off Ryan Borucki.

All three runs in the inning were charged to Colin Holderman (0-2) as the Giants won for the fourth time in five games.

“It’s really important to the organization,” San Francisco manager Gabe Kapler said of the rookies’ contributions. “It shows we can draft well, we can develop well and we can graduate young players (to the major leagues). We have young players who are going to be a part of this organization for a long time."

Bailey has been particularly impressive, hitting .290 with five homers and 27 RBIs in 41 games since making his major league debut on May 19.

“I keep waiting for him to come back to normal, but he never does,” Giants starting pitcher Ross Stripling said with a smile.

Flores, Matos and Michael Conforto had two hits each for San Francisco. Conforto’s two-run single in the fifth broke a scoreless tie.

Ji Man Choi homered for the Pirates, a leadoff shot to center field in the bottom of the fifth. A balk by Stripling later in the inning allowed the Pirates to tie it.

Sacrifice flies by Choi and Tucupita Marcano in the sixth put the Pirates ahead briefly at 4-3. The Giants had gone in front in the top of the inning on Brandon Crawford’s run-scoring groundout.

Mauricio Llovera (1-0) got two outs for the win.

Stripling lasted 4 2/3 innings and gave up two runs and five hits while striking out six and walking none. He has yet to win this season in eight starts and 13 appearances overall.

“I thought he pitched really well,” Kapler said. “He got a little tired in the last inning but he still hit 94 (mph).”

Pirates starter Rich Hill allowed three runs on seven hits in six innings. He had two walks and two strikeouts.

“I thought he did a nice job. He kept us in the game,” Pirates manager Derek Shelton said. “That’s a good lineup over there.”

Pittsburgh lost for the fifth time in six games.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Giants: LF Austin Slater (bruised left heel) was removed after the fifth inning but said he did not believe the injury was serious. … RHP Anthony DeSclafani (right shoulder fatigue) is likely to be activated during a four-game series in Cincinnati that starts Monday. He made a rehab start Thursday in the Arizona Complex League and allowed one run on five hits in four innings with five strikeouts. … RHP Luke Jackson (lower back strain) also pitched in that game and struck out three in one scoreless inning. He is expected to return sometime during the road trip.

UP NEXT

The Giants will start RHP Alex Cobb (6-2, 2.91 ERA) on Saturday against RHP Johan Oviedo (3-10, 4.75). Cobb pitched a scoreless inning in Tuesday’s All-Star Game. Oviedo has lost his last six starts.

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