San Francisco, CA (SportsNetwork.com) - Hunter Pence had two RBI in a four-run fifth inning that helped the San Francisco Giants take a 5-3 victory over the Cleveland Indians on Saturday.
Buster Posey had a solo home run and Angel Pagan and Gregor Blanco drove in a run apiece for the Giants, who have taken the first two of the three-game set.
Giants starter Tim Lincecum lasted 4 2/3 innings, allowing three runs -- two earned -- on nine hits. Juan Gutierrez (1-1) picked up the win, striking out the only batter he faced.
"I didn't do a good job today," Lincecum lamented. "I guess being able to keep my team in it was the best positive of today."
Jason Kipnis drove in two and Nick Swisher had two doubles and an RBI for the Indians, who have lost three of five.
Cleveland starter Zach McAllister (3-1) allowed one hit entering the fifth but was touched for four runs in the inning. He fanned six and walked one before exiting after the frame.
"We had a chance to win today and it would have been nice for me to be able to get out there and get through that fifth and give us an even better chance but I wasn't able to do that," McAllister said. "It's part of the game."
San Francisco, trailing 3-0 in the fifth, scored four runs to take a lead that they would not relinquish. Michael Morse hit a lead-off single, two batters later Brandon Crawford singled and a Brandon Hicks walk loaded the bases.
Blanco's single to right brought around Morse and Pagan plated Crawford with a sacrifice fly. Pence then hit a two-out single, driving in two to give the Giants a 4-3 lead.
Posey gave the Giants a 5-3 cushion with a lead-off blast in the sixth. Posey smacked a 3-2 slider from reliever C.C. Lee into the bleachers in left.
Gutierrez, Jean Machi and Jeremy Affeldt combined for 3 1/3 scoreless innings in relief for the Giants. Sergio Romo shut the door in the ninth to pick up his sixth save of the season.
Earlier, Michael Bourn led off the game with a double before Kipnis plated him with a one-out single. The Giants threatened in the bottom half with Pagan on third with one-out, however, McAllister struck out the next two batters to escape the jam.
The Indians picked up another run in the third. Swisher doubled to lead off the inning and moved to third on a passed ball before a groundout by Kipnis scored brought him around to score.
Cleveland took a 3-0 lead in the fifth after Bourn hit a lead-off single and Swisher drove him in with a double to right.
Game Notes
The Giants improved to 8-2 in day games this season ... Cleveland left nine men on base, going 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position ... McAllister hasn't allowed a home run in 36 consecutive innings dating back to last season ... San Francisco stranded three runners and went 2-for-6 with RISP.
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