Blame It On Cain: Giants Down Marlins 6-4

Aug 17, 2013; Miami, FL, USA; San Francisco Giants third baseman

(13) is unable to force out Miami Marlins left fielder

(21) at second base during the eighth inning at Marlins Park. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

The Marlins tries to battle back from a 4-0 deficit on Friday, but their efforts didn’t pay off, as they ultimately lost to the Giants by a score of 6-4.

The game was scoreless until the fourth inning, when Pablo Sandoval – yes, that Pablo Sandoval – beat out an infield hit. Sandoval, who has been slimming down over the past two months, dove into first base to beat the hustling Logan Morrison, allowing Brandon Belt to score on what would have been the last out of the inning. The single moved Buster Posey to third and prolonged the inning, with Henderson Alvarez balking in the run, then giving up a walk to Roger Kieschnick and a 2-RBI triple to Gregor Blanco to make the score 4-0.

The Marlins cut the lead in half in the 6th inning. Donovan Solano singled, and Giancarlo Stanton, who has struggled much of the year, hit a mammoth home run for his 14th of the season. The distance was estimated at 454 feet, but the shot made it seem like that estimate was 100 feet too short. The shot was Stanton’s longest home run, and the longest home run Matt Cain has given up since 2006. Cain struck out Logan Morrison, Ed Lucas, and Adeiny Hechavarria in order to escape the inning.

The Giants got their two runs back in the top of the 8th. After striking out the first batter, reliever A.J. Ramos walked the bases loaded, then got Hunter Pence to fly out without allowing a run to score. Mike Dunn relieved Ramos, and he issued a bases-loaded walk to Pablo Sandoval, who this time had to do no hustling down the line. An Andres Torres infield single made the score 6-2, and Dunn struck out Gregor Blanco to end the threat of more runs.

The Marlins did answer in the bottom of the eighth, however, trying desperately to claw back in the game. Christian Yelich walked, then Donovan Solano hit a comebacker up the middle. Yelich was safe at second, and shortstop Brandon Crawford allowed Solano to reach on a throwing error. After Giancarlo Stanton struck out, Logan Morrison delivered a 1-out double to plate both runners, cutting the lead to 6-4. It would stay that way, as the next five Marlins went down in succession to end the game.

Up next: Madison Bumgarner takes the hill for the Giants to face Tom Koehler at 1:10 PM in the last matchup of these two teams for the season.