By Morris Phillips

When the going gets tough, the tough get going.

According to manager Bruce Bochy, he’s got tough guys, but the get going part has yet to take place.

On Wednesday, the Giants saw their 4-0 lead evaporate in one inning, Matt Cain’s disastrous fifth in which he coughed all six runs the Pirates would need in a 6-5 victory that capped a three-game sweep. On top of all the Giants have experienced in their 9-21 stretch since the All-Star break, they now have a pair of mid-game meltdowns in less than a week, the type that teams that aren’t tough, don’t survive.

“We couldn’t ask for more than what we created there,” Bochy said. “We just couldn’t finish.”

Cain was cruising along, allowing just one hit, until the fifth. Then, that fast, Cain wasn’t cruising. He hit David Freese, then walked John Jaso, Jordy Mercer and Eric Fryer to force in a run. Manager Clint Hurdle, sensing an opportunity, then pinch-hit for his starter, Ivan Nova, and Matt Joyce delivered a two-run single.

Josh Harrison then hit a sacrifice fly that tied the game. With the Giants’ bullpen in motion, Cain recovered to retire Sterling Marte for the second out, but Andrew McCutchen was next, and Bochy decided to stick with Cain. But McCutchen deposited Cain’s first pitch–a substandard fastball–over the left field wall.

“I probably stuck with him a little long there, being honest,” Bochy admitted. “I felt he had enough to get through it. It didn’t play out.”

With five opportunities remaining, and a two-run deficit, the Giants’ response was tepid. Rallies fizzled in the fifth and sixth, nothing more promising came in the seventh and eighth, then with a real opportunity in the ninth, the first three batters reached to load the bases, the normally clutch Buster Posey hit into a double play, then Brandon Crawford flew out to center to end the game.

The Giants finished 3 of 10 with runners in scoring position, actually an improvement on their 5 of 23 in the first two games of the season. Regardless of the numbers, the Giants have been consistently one hit short, hitting just below .200 since the All-Star break.

Now, after a four-game losing streak that began with the meltdown against the Orioles on Sunday, the Giants are looking up at the Dodgers, now holding a 1 ½ game lead in the NL West. At some point, the Giants have to respond, but it hasn’t happened yet.

“We better find a way to get out of it pretty soon, we know that,” Bochy said.

Posey provided a boost on Wednesday by starting a day game after a night game after the All-Star missed a pair of games with back issues. Brandon Belt fouled a pitch off his leg in the fifth, but stayed in the game as the Giants fielded a lineup with all eight of their preferred starters.

The Giants get what should be a break next with the hapless Mets in for four games with Madison Bumgarner lined up to pitch the first one. The Mets, hitting .188 since the break with runners in scoring position, have an offense struggling to a greater degree than the Giants. But can the Giants take advantage?

Bumgarner faces Jacob deGrom in the opener at 7:15pm on Thursday.