The Pittsburgh Pirates Jacob Stallings belts a two run home run off San Francisco Giants reliever Jake McGee in the ninth inning at PNC Park in Pittsburgh on Sat May 16, 2021 (AP News photo)

By London Marq

While the national media have had their eyes glued to Southern California’s National League teams, the San Diego Padres and the Los Angeles Dodges, it has been the northerners the San Francisco Giants who have secured the top spot in the Division entering play today.

Leading the West, even at this early stage in the season is an achievement in itself given how stacked the division is. If they can play well now, it will only build momentum for them later in the year when it really counts. The Giants dropped their second straight game to the Pirates on Saturday night 8-6 at PNC Park in Pittsburgh.

On the road in Pittsburgh, they confidently jumped out to a quick lead in the first inning. The Pirates allowed two home runs in the first inning alone. The first, Darin Ruf’s solo shot gave them a one-run lead. A few batters later, Brandon Crawford belted a ball into the right-center bleachers for a two run homer, rounding out the rough start for the Pirates starter, Tyler Anderson

Two innings later with two outs and two men on base, Mauricio Dubon sent a ground ball through the gap and into right field to score Ruf to give the Giants a four run lead 4-0.

The Pirates would have their day however. Playing station-to-station Gonzalez and Tom got hits to push across two RBI’s in the fifth inning to narrow the lead. The Giants would see Tauchman hit yet another two-run homer in the sixth. Despite all the homers and early success, the late success would come from the Pirates.

Behind some clutch hitting and a wild pitch from the Giants Camilo Doval the Pirate snatched four runs in the seventh and tied the game at six a piece. The score would hold and threaten extra innings into the bottom of the ninth. Jacob Stallings hit a two-run walk off home, sending the Giants back to the hotel room for long night of contemplation after blowing a four run lead.

Still leading the NL West by one game, the Giants will have to find a way to get back in the win column to bolster their lead. Tomorrow the Giants play the Pirates for the final game of the four game series. With a win they could tie the series up, and restore some confidence. Either way, they’ll be onto Cincinnati face the Reds on Monday.

Starting pitchers for Sunday for the Giants Alex Wood (4-0 ERA 1.80) for the Pittsburgh Pirates Mitch Keller (2-4 ERA 7.81) a 10:00 AM PDT