Mike Yastrzemski doubled, homered and drove in three runs, and Alex Young pitched out of a bases-loaded jam in the eighth inning Friday night to protect a one-run lead as the San Francisco Giants held off the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates 5-3.
The opener of the three-game series also began a seven-game homestand for the Giants.
Yastrzemski led off a two-run second inning with his 12th homer of the season, increased the lead to 3-0 in the third with a run-scoring fielder’s choice grounder, and continued the San Francisco scoring in the fifth with an RBI double.
All of Yastrzemski’s RBIs came against Pirates starter Bryse Wilson (2-7), who worked 5 1/3 innings, giving up four runs and six hits. He walked two and struck out one.
The Giants led 4-1 after Yastrzemski’s RBI barrage, then 4-2 when Ben Gamel homered off Carlos Rodon (11-6) in the sixth, his fifth of the season.
Rodon was pulled after six innings, having allowed two runs and six hits. He struck out seven without issuing a walk.
Pittsburgh’s other run off the Giants’ starter came on a solo homer by Rodolfo Castro, his second of the year, in the fourth inning.
The Pirates drew within 4-3 in the seventh against the San Francisco bullpen when Greg Allen belted his first homer of the season, Pittsburgh’s third solo shot of the contest.
The Pirates had runners on first and second with one out in the eighth. Young, who was purchased last month from the Cleveland Guardians, walked Oneil Cruz to load the bases, but struck out Allen and got Yucupita Marcano to ground out.
In the bottom of the eighth, Luis Gonzalez’s two-out double scored Evan Longoria, who drew a two-out walk, for an insurance run.
Closer Camilo Doval threw a 1-2-3 ninth inning for his 16th save.
Gonzalez finished with two RBIs for the Giants. Gamel, Castro and Allen had two hits apiece for the Pirates, who fell to 2-6 on their 10-game trip despite out-hitting the hosts 10-7.
–Field Level Media
