Photo credit: @SFGiants

By Jeremy Kahn

SAN FRANCISCO–After getting demolished in the first game of the day-night doubleheader, the San Francisco Giants came back with vengeance in the nightcap.

Johnny Cueto went six innings, allowing two runs on three hits, walking two and striking out three and the Giants took Game 2 of the day-night doubleheader over the Los Angeles Dodgers by the final score of 8-3 before a crowd of 40,608 at AT&T Park.

Cueto got off to a rocky start, as Chris Taylor hit a double to leadoff the game and then Corey Seager hit a line drive home run onto the arcade to give the Dodgers a quick 2-0 lead. Yasmani Grandal then hit a single, and then after a Cody Bellinger fly out for the first out, Chase Utley reached on a fielders’ choice and he would be the last runner to reach base until Alex Verdugo walked to lead off the fifth inning.

All in all, after the Utley fielders’ choice, Cueto retired the next 10 batters. Verdugo and Kyle Farmer both walked in the fifth inning, but Cueto was able to get out of the jam.

Austin Jackson came up with the biggest hit of his short Giants career, as he hit a bases clearing double in the bottom of the fifth inning that gave the Giants the lead for good.

After an Evan Longoria fly out to start the inning, Brandon Belt continued his hot streak, as he singled, then both Kelby Tomlinson and Brandon Crawford each singled to load the bases before Jackson’s long double that cleared the bases.

Belt picked up his second hit of the night in the bottom of the sixth inning, as his base hit scored McCutchen, who walked to lead off the inning.

After the Dodgers got within one run in the top of the seventh inning, when Austin Barnes grounded into a double play that scored Pederson from third base, that would be the last of the scoring of the evening for the Dodgers.

The Giants blew the game wide open in the bottom of the seventh inning, as Longoria hit a two-run double that sent Buster Posey to third base. Following an intentional walk to Belt, the strategy backfired, as Kelby Tomlinson hit a JT Chargois offering up the middle to score both Posey and Longoria.

D.J. Snelten made his major league debut in the top of the eighth inning, and like Pablo Sandoval in the first game, Snelten retired the Dodgers in order.

Snelten pitched into the ninth inning, as he was able to help out a bullpen that threw a lot during the first game, especially Roberto Gomez and Derek Law. Hunter Strickland mopped it up and the Giants got their split.

The Giants will conclude the rivalry series against the Dodgers with Game 4 at 2:05 pm PT on Sunday afternoon.