Ryan Vogelsong’s return to San Francisco had a happy ending as the Pittsburgh Pirates defeated the San Francisco Giants by an 8-5 score Monday night.
Vogelsong (2-2) pitched with the Giants from 2011-15 before returning to Pittsburgh following a 2001-06 first stint with the Pirates.
It was in 2000 when Vogelsong made his major league debut with the Giants.
Vogelsong was recognized first pitch with a video honoring his time and accomplishments with the Giants. He received an ovation from the fans thanking him for his efforts.
In this game, Vogelsong allowed four runs on nine hits in 5.2 innings pitched.
The Giants struck first in the first inning as Vogelsong walked in a run, and then a Hunter Pence single in the third inning put San Francisco up 2-0.
In the fourth inning, the Pirates took the lead. Matt Moore (7-9) walked Francisco Cervelli with the bases loaded, again scoring a run.
The next batter, Gregory Polanco, singled in two runs with Cervelli and Polanco each advancing a base on Pence’s throw home.
Moore appeared to have a quick sixth inning going before Polanco hit his 17th home run of the season, a solo shot to right field.
Though the Giants cut their deficit to one run on home runs from Eduardo Nunez and Denard Span in the sixth inning, the Pirates held serve answering with an Andrew McCutchen RBI pop-up single and a Starling Marte RBI double in the seventh.
In the eighth inning, McCutchen added another RBI single off Giants reliever Will Smith.
The Giants plated a fifth and final run in the ninth inning off Tony Watson on an RBI single from Joe Panik.
Tuesday, the three-game series continues as Jameson Taillon (3-2, 2.85 ERA) faces Jeff Samardzija (10-8, 4.23 ERA). Taillon is coming off his best major league outing after pitching eight shutout innings against the San Diego Padres.
Photo credit: @Pirates
