SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Pinch-hitter Nate Schierholtz delivered a game-ending RBI single in the ninth inning to give the San Francisco Giants a 3-2 win over the Cincinnati Reds on Friday night.
Jose Arredondo (0-1) and Logan Ondrusek combined to walk the bases loaded before Schierholtz drove in Andres Torres with a single to left.
Torres, who entered as a pinch hitter in the seventh, started the inning with a walk against Arredondo. After an intentional walk to Miguel Tejada, Bill Bray came on to strike out rookie Brandon Crawford. manager Dusty Baker then brought in Ondrusek, who walked Cody Ross before Schierholtz hit for Brian Wilson (5-1).
It was Schierholtz's first game-ending hit this season and the second of his career. But the victory may have come at a price for San Francisco, which had to replace second baseman Freddy Sanchez after he injured himself diving for a ground ball.
With his team slumping at the plate, Giants manager Bruce Bochy juggled his lineup and moved Cody Ross into the cleanup spot while dropping Aubrey Huff to the No. 6 slot.
The changes provided an early spark and San Francisco kept it close until Schierholtz came up with his clutch hit.
San Francisco, held to five hits or fewer in four of its previous six games, had five in the first three innings against Travis Wood.
Tejada hit a ground-rule double in the first and scored when Ross lined a single to left. Ross was thrown out at second on the play but after Tejada crossed the plate.
Cincinnati scored in the fourth and fifth to take the lead. Scott Rolen started the fourth with a triple off Ryan Vogelsong and scored on Ryan Hanigan's single. Chris Heisey drove in Brandon Phillips with a grounder in the fifth.
That ended Vogelsong's six-game streak of allowing one run or less. The right-hander, who was the first Giants pitcher to have such a streak since Matt Cain in 2006, left after six innings with six strikeouts and three walks.
The fifth was a rough inning all around for San Francisco.
Sanchez made a backhand grab on Phillips' leadoff single but used his right hand to brace himself as he slid on the edge of the outfield grass. Sanchez, who underwent surgery on his left shoulder in December, was on his knees and flicked the ball away with his glove as manager Bruce Bochy and assistant athletic trainer Mark Gruesbeck rushed from the dugout. He eventually was helped up and walked off the field with his right arm held up by Gruesbeck.
Tejada tied it with a two-out double in the fifth and San Francisco had runners in scoring position in the sixth and eighth but failed to score.
Wood, who allowed eight runs and a career-high five walks last Sunday, was crisper in his first career start against the Giants. The left-hander gave up 10 hits and walked three over eight innings in his sixth no-decision of the season.
Wilson struck out one and allowed a hit in the ninth inning while picking up the win.
NOTES: San Francisco LHP Barry Zito will make his second rehab start Saturday against Class-A Modesto, and the team is hoping he can throw around 100 pitches. ... 3B Pablo Sandoval, expected to come off the disabled list and rejoin the Giants next week in Arizona, had two hits and two RBIs for Triple-A Fresno. ... Reds LHP Aroldis Chapman (shoulder inflammation) allowed two earned runs in 1 2-3 innings in a rehab start for Triple-A Louisville. ... Reds RHP Homer Bailey (sprained right shoulder) will begin a minor league rehab assignment on Saturday.
