2-Run 9th Inning Fuels Giants To 7-5 Victory Over the Cubs

Matt Cain was surprisingly uncharacteristic, but the Giants came back from a 5-3 deficit in the later innings to prevail 7-5. Not only did they win, but they completed a very successful road trip, posting a 5-1 record on trips to Houston and the windy city. That marks the second consecutive time that they had a 5-1 road trip, with the other occasion being against the Padres and Dodgers.

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Cain is generally one to feast on the Cubs. He had a 20 inning scoreless streak at Wrigley Field coming into the game, but that streak was snapped in the bottom of the third inning when David DeJesus singled home Darwin Barney.

Run support is also wary when Cain is on the mound. But the Giants’ surging offense backed their pitcher early with three-third inning runs. Xavier Nady reached base by the way of the walk to begin the explosion. Angel Pagan drove him in with an RBI single. Then, the Giants started some two out thunder as Pablo Sandoval and Buster Posey each drove in a run. Those runs came after Anthony Rizzo casually picked up what was supposed to be a sacrifice bunt, and threw wide to first base, allowing Cain to reach.

DeJesus continued his success against Cain in the fifth with a one out single that Hunter Pence bobbled in right field, allowing Barney to score for the second time in the game. The Cubs would work some two out magic of their own.

Cain laid a fastball right out over the plate to slugger Alfonso Soriano, and even with the wind blowing in, the ball soared into the bleachers. Cain knew it right away, as he slammed his glove on the ground immediately following the mistake. And just like that, the Cubs took the lead, 5-3 on Soriano’s three-run jack.

At home, a comeback would seem far-fetched, but the Giants have played much differently on the road this season. They instantly fired back with a two-run inning. Brandon Belt tripled with two outs on a slicing line drive that Soriano was unable to coral in, scoring Nady who reached base four times on the day. Then, Belt proceeded home on a wild pitch from Manny Corpas to even the score at five.

In the ninth, Nady reached base for the fourth time and Gregor Blanco was put in to pinch-run for him. Blanco created plenty of havoc and ultimately scored the go-ahead run on a Pagan RBI single. Marco Scutaro padded their lead with an RBI single of his own to score Crawford.

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