Giants rally in eighth to edge Nats
Posted: Thu Jul 24 2:03 AM
San Francisco, CA (Sports Network) - Rich Aurilia's two-run double off Luis Ayala highlighted a three-run eighth inning as San Francisco rallied to down Washington, 6-4, in the second test of a three-game series at AT&T Park.
Bengie Molina finished 3-for-4 with two RBI for the Giants, who have won two straight in the series. Aaron Rowand and Omar Vizquel added an RBI apiece for San Francisco.
"That's what we do...I don't think we're a home run team," Molina said. "I've always said since spring training, we can get a lot of hits and get a lot of runs in, instead of waiting for the three run home run and just get a lot of hits and see what happens later."
Kevin Correia started on the hill and surrendered four runs -- three earned -- on 12 hits in 5 2/3 innings. Geno Espineli (1-0) took the win after getting the final two outs in the eighth inning while Brian Wilson earned his 27th save with a scoreless ninth.
Jesus Flores had a two-run home run for the Nationals, who have lost five of their past seven games. Willie Harris finished 2-for-5.
Collin Balester allowed three runs on six hits in five innings en route to a no-decision. Ayala (1-6) was tagged with the loss after giving up all three runs in the eighth.
"He continues to struggle with his location," Nats manager Manny Acta said of Ayala. "He started the inning giving up the hit to Molina on an 0-2 count and then he let Aurilia beat him with his fourth best pitch so he's struggling. We played a very good ball game up to that point."
Trailing by a run, the Giants jumped back in front off Ayala. Molina led off the eighth with a single to left and was quickly replaced by pinch runner Emmanuel Burriss. After Rowand flied out, Burriss swiped second. Ayala then walked John Bowker before Aurilia laced his two-run double to center. Vizquel followed with another RBI double and San Francisco led 6-4 heading to the ninth.
Wilson gave up a one-out single to Ryan Zimmerman and then plunked Flores with two down before he fanned pinch hitter Kory Casto to end the game.
The Giants jumped on top with a pair of runs in the first inning. Randy Winn started things with a two-out single and quickly scored when Molina rapped a double to left-center. Rowand followed with another RBI double to make it a 2-0 game.
The Nats cut the lead in half during the fifth when Ryan Langerhans singled to center, moved to second on a Balester sacrifice bunt and came around to score when Bowker flubbed Willie Harris' ground ball to first.
San Francisco got that run back in the home half of the inning after Fred Lewis walked, advanced to second on a Eugenio Velez ground ball to first and crossed the plate when Molina ripped a double to center.
Washington responded with three runs in the sixth to take the lead. After Austin Kearns opened the frame with a base hit, Flores ripped a homer over the wall in left to deadlock the game at three. Langerhans then got on with a two- out double before pinch hitter Johnny Estrada ripped an RBI single up the middle. Game Notes
Before the game the Giants recalled catcher Steve Holm from Triple-A Fresno and optioned catcher Eliezer Alfonzo down to Fresno. They also activated utilityman Dan Ortmeier from the 15-day disabled list and outrighted him to Fresno...San Francisco swept a four-game set against Washington in D.C. from June 6-9 of this season.
