By Jeremy Kahn
AP photos: Boston Red Sox’ Zander Bogaerts’ swings for an RBI single against Giants pitcher Albert Suarez in the top of the third inning at AT&T Park on Tuesday night
SAN FRANCISCO-Xander Bogaerts gave the allegiance of Boston Red Sox fans something to cheer about in the top of the 10th inning.
Bogaerts hit a two-run single with one out and the bases loaded to score pinch-hitter Marco Hernandez and Mookie Betts, as the Red Sox took the opener of this brief two-game series with a 5-3 victory over the San Francisco Giants before a crowd of 41,512, the 436th consecutive regular season sellout at AT&T Park.
Both starting pitchers, Albert Suarez and Rick Porcello were long gone by the time that this game was decided.
Suarez got Travis Shaw and Hanley Ramirez on back-to-back flyouts to Jarrett Parker in right field to open the top of the second inning for the Red Sox, but then Jackie Bradley Jr., and Chris Young hit back-to-back doubles to give the visitors from Boston a 1-0 lead.
The right-handed Suarez went 6.1 innings, allowing three runs on just five hits, while walking one and striking out one.
Porcello went six innings, allowing three runs on five hits, walking one and striking out six; however he was unable to pickup his eighth win against just two losses.
Bogaerts gave the Red Sox 2-0 lead in the top of the third inning, as singled in Mookie Betts, who like Bradley Jr., and Young doubled with one out.
Parker cut the Red Sox lead in half in the bottom of the third inning with one swing of the bat, as he hit his third home run of the season that landed in the first row of the Arcade section in right field.
Brandon Crawford tied up the game in the bottom of the fourth inning, as he walked with the bases loaded to score Joe Panik from third base. Panik, Matt Duffy and Brandon Belt each singled prior to the Crawford walk off of Porcello.
The Giants took the lead following the Crawford walk, as Gregor Blanco hit into a double play that scored Duffy from third base.
That was the score of the game, when David Ortiz came up to the plate with one out and a runner on first and third to pinch-hit for Christian Vazquez. Bruce Bochy countered with Javier Lopez to face the left-handed power hitter. Lopez got Ortiz to ground into what looked a like an inning-ending double play, but Crawford missed tagging Young and on the play Bradley, Jr., scored to tie up the game.
Bradley Jr., walked with one out, stole second and went to third on a Trevor Brown throwing error that sailed into center field.
After a strong one and one-third inning pitched by Hunter Strickland, Giants closer Santiago Casilla came on in the top of the ninth inning, and struck out two of the three batters he faced.
Sports Radio Service 