San Francisco Giants Send Record Sellout Crowd Home Happy On Brandon Hicks Walk-Off
By Phil Watson
Apr 27, 2014; San Francisco, CA, USA; San Francisco Giants shortstop Brandon Hicks (14) connects for a two run home run in the bottom of the ninth inning against the Cleveland Indians at AT&T Park. Mandatory Credit: Bob Stanton-USA TODAY Sports
Brandon Hicks blasted a walk-off three-run homer in the bottom of the ninth inning Sunday to lift the San Francisco Giants to a 4-1 win and a three-game sweep of the Cleveland Indians at AT&T Park.
The Giants sold out the game, the 258th straight sellout at AT&T Park, setting a new National League record. The Philadelphia Phillies sold out 257 consecutive games from July 7, 2009, through Aug. 5, 2012.
The Giants rallied for the win after the bullpen couldn’t hold the 1-0 lead it was given by starter Ryan Vogelsong, who allowed just two hits in seven shutout innings. He walked two and struck out six in what was by far his best outing of the year.
But Santiago Casilla surrendered a leadoff homer to Yan Gomes in the eighth that tied the game at 1-1.
San Francisco (15-10) scored in the fourth inning off Cleveland starter Danny Salazar, getting a little two-out magic when Pablo Sandoval and Brandon Crawford cracked back-to-back doubles.
Cody Allen relieved Marc Rzepcynski for Cleveland in the bottom of the eighth after Angel Pagan hit a one-out double. Allen got Hunter Pence to fly out and struck out Brandon Belt to end the threat.
Buster Posey led off the ninth with a ground single up the middle off Allen. Posey was replaced by pinch-runner Ehire Adrianza and Gregor Blanco came up to hit for Juan Perez, laying down a sacrifice bunt to push Adrianza to second.
After Sandoval struck out, Allen intentionally walked Crawford to get to Hicks.
That didn’t end well for Allen.
Hicks yanked a 96-mph fastball from Allen (2-1) over the wall in left field for his third home run of the season. It was the second walkoff homer of Hicks’ career. His first major-league homer was a walkoff shot on July 18, 2012, when as a member of the Oakland A’s, he ended a game with a homer off Texas reliever Michael Kirkman.
That made a winner of Sergio Romo (2-0), who worked a perfect ninth to preserve the tie, striking out one.
The Giants got eight hits off Cleveland (11-14) pitching on the day, with Posey and Sandoval each going 2-for-4. Sandoval, who batted sixth on Sunday, was 3-for-10 in the series and raised his average to .180.
Posey has his average back up to .238 with his two-hit day.
The Giants remain at home Monday at 7:15 p.m., hosting San Diego. Madison Bumgarner (2-2, 3.14 ERA) is scheduled to start for San Francisco against Padre right-hander Tyson Ross (2-3, 3.16 ERA).