By Jeremy Kahn
MIAMI-Tim Lincecum pitched a great game, but unfortunately he threw one pitch that got by Hector Sanchez behind the plate.
Adeiny Hechavarria scored the eventual game-winning run on a Lincecum wild pitch in the bottom of the seventh inning, as the Marlins salvaged the final game of the series with a 3-2 victory over the San Francisco Giants before a crowd of 25,221 at MarlinsPark.
“Very tough way to lose a ballgame, Timmy threw great,” said Bruce Bochy.
Brad Hand went seven innings, allowing two runs on six hits, walking just one and striking out four, as he left with the lead after being pinch hit for by Johnson.
Casey McGehee put the Marlins on the board in the first inning, as he planted a Lincecum pitch deep into the left field seats for just his second home run of the season.
“Threw a changeup there that slipped of his hand,” said Bochy.
Brandon Belt will go back on the disabled list after it was confirmed that he suffered a concussion when he took a throw off the face during batting practice prior to Saturday’s game.
As of now, it has yet to be determined if Belt will go either on the seven-day or the 15-day disabled list.
“Belt’s got a concussion, he’s going on the DL, that’s a bad break; because he is just coming off the DL.”
All signs show that Adam Duvall will join the team tomorrow night in Philadelphia, where the Giants will open a four-game series against the Philadelphia Phillies on Monday night.
The Marlins gave away three runs in the second and third innings, as they committed cardinal base running errors, as they attempted to advance to third base , but were thrown out on all three occasions.
Following a leadoff single and then stealing second base in the bottom of the second inning, Marcell Ozuna was caught in a rundown and tagged out by Pablo Sandoval on a ground ball hit by Hechavarria.
After advancing to second on the fielders’ choice, Hechavarria himself was thrown out at third base by Joaquin Arias, as he tried to advance an additional 90 feet on what turned out to be a Jeff Mathis fielders’ choice.
Giancarlo Stanton doubled off of Lincecum in the bottom of the third with two outs, but was thrown at third base to end the threat and the inning for the Marlins.
That would be huge for the Giants, as they tied up the game in the top of third inning, as Hunter Pence and Marco Scutaro each scored on a two-run double by Buster Posey.
The single by Scutaro was his first hit of the season in five at-bats after missing the first 93 games of the season with a lower back strain.
“I am not too concerned with production, the main thing is starting to feel good and today was a good day,” said Scutaro.
Scutaro missed the first two games of this series after tweaking his neck over the All-Star break.
Lincecum got into a jam in the bottom of the fifth inning, as he gave up a single to Jordany Valdespin, then after striking out Stanton and getting McGehee to fly out to center field, he walked Garrett Jones.
With Ozuna at the plate, Lincecum committed his first balk of the season and his first since August 19, 2013 against the Boston Red Sox at AT&TPark, according to Retrosheet.
Posey nearly extended the top of the eighth inning, as he narrowly thrown out at first base on a ground ball hit to McGehee; however after a 78 second (1:18) review, the play stood.
