SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Wilmer Flores’ tiebreaking sacrifice fly in the seventh held up in a strange, back-and-forth game that featured four two-run homers in the first inning alone, and the San Francisco Giants beat the Cincinnati Reds 7-6 on Tuesday night.
Austin Slater put the Giants ahead on an RBI triple in the sixth following three home runs by San Francisco. That lead didn’t last: Giants shortstop Brandon Crawford and second baseman Tommy La Stella collided trying to chase down pinch-hitter Alex Blandino’s fly in shallow center in the seventh, and the ball fell to the grass for a single as the Reds scored the tying run to make it 6-6.
The teams were tied at 4 after the first inning on a pair of two-run homers by each club. The only other time since at least 1974 that teams hit four two-run homers in the same inning was Sept. 18, 2004, when the Tigers and White Sox did so in the 10th inning, according to Sportradar.
Joey Votto connected off former Reds right-hander Kevin Gausman — who was nearly hit by a flying bat from leadoff hitter Jesse Winker to start the game — for his second homer in two nights. Mike Moustakas then added his two-run homer, sending the drive into the water of McCovey Cove beyond the right field arcade to give Cincinnati a splash-hit homer for the second straight game.
Mike Yastrzemski and Brandon Crawford each hit two-run shots in the bottom half against Cincinnati ace Luis Castillo.
Nick Castellanos hit a go-ahead double in the second before Evan Longoria’s solo homer in the sixth tied it at 5.
Cionel Pérez (1-1) walked the first two batters of the seventh before Flores came through against Lucas Sims.
Wandy Peralta (2-0) pitched the seventh for the win and Jake McGee finished for his fifth save.
The Giants pounded 11 hits a day…
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