SAN FRANCISCO (AP) – Jesus Aguilar snapped a tie with a two-run homer that sparked a four-run ninth inning, and the Miami Marlins beat the San Francisco Giants 5-2 on Saturday night.
Aguilar lined an 0-1 pitch from Gregory Santos (0-1) into the left-center stands after Magneuris Sierra’s leadoff walk to give Miami a 3-1 lead. A day earlier, Aguilar hit a two-run homer with two outs in the ninth after an error extended the inning.
“I just tried not to be over-aggressive,” Aguilar said. “I thought it was going to be a double, but the ball (went). I hit it well, but it was low. We got lucky the ball went out.”
Santos struck out two in one inning when he faced the Marlins in his major league debut Thursday. The results were much different for the 21-year-old rookie Saturday.
“One of the lessons that our younger, inexperienced pitchers are going to have to learn is their stuff plays,” Giants manager Gabe Kapler said.
Jon Berti also went deep after making an error earlier in the game to help the Marlins break their collective slump. Miami had been held to three hits or fewer in three of its previous five games and was shut out in Thursday’s series opener at Oracle Park.
Corey Dickerson added two hits for the Marlins, including an RBI triple in the ninth.
Dylan Floro (1-1) retired three batters to get the win. Yimi Garcia allowed a pair of hits in the ninth, including Mike Yastrzemski’s one-out homer into McCovey Cove, but got Alex Dickerson on a fly ball to end it.
Alex Dickerson doubled and scored for the Giants.
home run was huge just to get us back,” Marlins manager Don Mattingly said. “That homer just changed the whole direction of the game. That was a big hit.”
Marlins starter Pablo López pitched well in his second start against the Giants in seven days. López had seven strikeouts in six innings and allowed two hits – none until Alex Dickerson’s leadoff doubled in the fifth.
Gausman pitched a two-hit ball over eight smooth innings and matched his career high with 11 strikeouts. He allowed one run and walked one.
BELT LOVES MIAMI
San Francisco’s first baseman Brandon Belt had two hits and has reached safely in 31 games against the Marlins dating to July 19, 2014.
DAZZLING DEFENSE
The Giants backed Gausman with a pair of defensive gems. Center fielder Austin Slater made a leaping grab at the wall to remove potential extra bases from Garrett Cooper leading off the second. Second baseman Tommy La Stella followed with a diving stab to knock down a one-hop liner and throw out Aguilar to end the fourth.
“That was huge from a momentum standpoint,” Gausman said. “Those are the type of plays you see when a pitcher does something special.”
Sierra made a spectacular diving catch in center to take a hit away from Gausman in the sixth.
WELCOME TO THE BIGS, KID
Miami infielder Jose Devers struck out three times in three at-bats of his major league debut. Devers is the fifth-youngest player in Marlin’s history to make his major league debut. Devers was acquired from the New York Yankees as part of the Giancarlo Stanton trade in 2017. He started at second base and batted seventh. “(Didn’t) tell him anything,” Mattingly said before the game. “He’s a guy we like. Let him play. I’m interested to see how he handles it.”
TRAINER’S ROOM
Giants: SS Brandon Crawford was a late scratch because of right quad tightness. Mauricio Dubón started in his place. … RHP Johnny Cueto continues a throwing program returning from a Grade 1 right lat strain. … 3B Evan Longoria (hamstring) is day to-day. … LHP Jarlin Garcia was placed on the 10-day IL with a left groin strain.
UP NEXT
Giants RHP Logan Webb (0-1, 5.87 ERA) faces the Marlins on Sunday. Webb is coming off his roughest outing of the season as a starter after allowing four runs in four innings against the Phillies on Tuesday. Mattingly had not announced a starter for Miami and didn’t rule out using an opener.
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