Brett Wisely smacked a go-ahead RBI single in the top of the eighth to cap a five-run inning, lifting the San Francisco Giants to a wild 7-6 victory over the host Pittsburgh Pirates on Thursday afternoon.
Pittsburgh was in the driver’s seat in the rubber match of the three-game series when former Giant Joey Bart cracked a grand slam in the fourth inning.
Heliot Ramos went deep in the seventh inning as San Francisco trimmed its deficit to 5-2. Pittsburgh wasted little time getting that run back, as Bryan Reynolds ripped a solo shot of his own in the home half of the frame.
But then everything fell apart for the Pirates.
LaMonte Wade Jr. and Thairo Estrada opened the eighth with singles against Pittsburgh reliever Hunter Stratton (1-1). Matt Chapman followed with a three-run homer, cutting the Giants’ deficit to 6-5.
Jorge Soler then doubled and scored on Wilmer Flores’ single.
Marco Luciano pinch-ran for Flores, and Stratton got Ramos to fly out before handing the ball off to Aroldis Chapman. Luciano moved to second on a wild pitch from Chapman, and he took third on a passed ball from Bart.
Chapman fanned Patrick Bailey but couldn’t retire Wisely, whose base hit to center plated Luciano.
Reliever Luke Jackson (2-1) came away with the win thanks to the outburst.
Ji Hwan Bae reached on an error to start the bottom of the ninth, but he was later caught stealing, and Tyler Rogers worked around a Reynolds single for his first save of the year.
San Francisco’s rally spoiled a strong start from Pirates right-hander Paul Skenes, who allowed one run on six hits in six innings. Skenes walked one and struck out three.
Erik Miller served as an opener for the Giants, giving up one run and two hits in 1 2/3 innings. He recorded three strikeouts and didn’t issue a walk.
Andrew McCutchen led off the bottom of the first with a solo home run. San Francisco later tied things at 1-1 in the fourth when Estrada scored on Soler’s fielder’s choice grounder.
Reynolds finished with three hits for Pittsburgh. Wade, Chapman, Ramos and Wisely each had two for the Giants.