The Sports Xchange
Aug 20, 2017
SAN FRANCISCO -- Pinch hitter Ty Kelly capped a seven-run sixth inning with a grand slam Saturday night, helping the Philadelphia Phillies rally for a 12-9 victory over the San Francisco Giants.
Rhys Hoskins had a three-run home run and Cameron Rupp a solo shot for the Phillies, who snapped a five-game losing streak and won for the first time in the four-game series after suffering losses Thursday and Friday.
Denard Span drove in three runs, the first with a leadoff inside-the-park homer in the first inning, for the Giants, who lost to the Phillies at home for just the second time in their last 11 meetings.
The Phillies trailed 1-0 and 3-1 before entering the difference-making sixth inning in a 4-4 tie.
Cameron Perkins gave the Phillies the lead for good with a one-out single off Giants left-hander Ty Blach, ending his night.
Pedro Florimon and Freddy Galvis added to the lead with RBI hits off lefty Josh Osich, who then walked Nick Williams and Hoskins to load the bases with two outs.
Right-hander Cory Gearrin came on to face Kelly, who hit the third pitch over the right-field wall for his second home run of the season and first career grand slam, pushing the Phillies' lead to 11-4.
Blach (8-9), who had pitched at least six innings in each of his previous eight starts, was charged with six runs in 5 1/3 innings. He gave up eight hits and two walks, and struck out three.
Left-hander Adam Morgan (1-1), who retired the only batter he faced in relief of starter Jerad Eickhoff in the fifth inning, got the win.
Galvis had three hits and Rupp two for the Phillies, who began the night hitting just .225 against left-handed starters, the lowest in the majors.
Sandoval collected two hits and two RBIs, and Span had two hits for the Giants, who out-hit the Phillies 14-13.
Six of the Giants' hits came in a five-run rally in the bottom of the ninth that closed the gap to 12-9.
Phillies closer Hector Neris came on to record the final out, striking out Carlos Moncrief as the potential tying run, to earn his 14th save.
Sandoval had a two-run single in the uprising.
Span's inside-the-park home run came on Eickhoff's first pitch of the game. The ball caromed off the wall in right-center field and eluded Phillies right fielder Cameron Perkins, who reached down but inadvertently kicked the ball away.
Span was generously awarded a home run, his ninth of the season.
Span's two-run single in the second inning gave the Giants a 3-1 lead, before Hoskins' three-run shot in the third put the Phillies on top for the first time at 4-3.
Hoskins' homer came three pitches after Blach nearly got nailed in the head with a Nick Williams liner. Blach got his glove up in time to deflect the ball, which went for an infield hit.
After missing with his first two pitches to Hoskins, Blach grooved one and the rookie blasted it into the seats in left field for his fourth homer of the year.
The Giants tied the game 4-4 in the fourth on an RBI single by Kelby Tomlinson that scored Sandoval, who had doubled.
Eickhoff was pulled two outs into the fifth inning, having allowed four runs and eight hits in 4 2/3 innings. He walked two and struck out three.
NOTES: INF/OF Ty Kelly's pinch-hit grand slam was just the second in the majors this season. Cleveland Indians 3B/OF Lonnie Chisenhall had one against the Detroit Tigers on April 14. ... The seven runs scored by the Phillies in the sixth inning equaled their second-most in any inning this season. They had a 12-run first against the Washington Nationals on April 8. ... The inside-the-park home run by Giants CF Denard Span was the 11th in the 18-year history of AT&T Park and the second this month. Chicago Cubs INF Javier Baez had one against the Giants on Aug. 7. ... Before Span, the last Giant to lead off the first inning with an inside-the-park homer was CF Johnny Rucker against the Boston Braves at the Polo Grounds in New York on June 20, 1945. ... The game was played on the 60th anniversary of the day the New York Giants Board of Directors voted 9-1 in favor of moving to San Francisco.