Big Buster blast lifts Giants past Mets

AT&T PARK — Gerald Dempsey Posey III has a flair for dramatics.

Photos by Godofredo Vasquez/SFBay

Buster Posey saved his best for his final at-bat Friday night, as he drove a tie-breaking, two-run home run over the left field wall in the bottom of the eighth inning in a 4-2 Giants win over the New York Mets.

The home run off Carlos Torres (L, 2-3, 2.72 ERA) was Posey’s eighth of the season. Posey was just trying to get the runner in from second base during the at-bat:

“I think in that situation, you’re just trying to get something you can stay in the middle of the field with. … Fortunately, I just got a good pitch I could handle and it went out.”

Matt Cain (1-3, 3.52 ERA) was unhittable through the first five innings in his first start off the 15-day DL. He was eager to get back onto the field with his teammates:

“You’re excited to get back out there. You’re thinking about just trying to find a good rhythm… It stinks when you sitting there watching the guys play real well. You want to be a part of it. You want to be able to help out.”

Cain lost a perfect game in the fifth inning with a walk to Curtis Granderson on a close pitch inside.

Then he lost the no-hitter in the sixth inning on an infield single to shortstop by Ruben Tejada.

The crowd exploded when the Brandons broke a scoreless game with a triple from Hicks and a sacrifice fly by Crawford in the fifth inning.

Trouble came in the seventh inning when the Mets’ best hitter, Daniel Murphy, launched a two-run home run into Barry Bonds territory off a hanging slider from Cain to give the Mets a 2-1 lead.

Then the Brandons struck again when Crawford singled in Hicks to tie the game 2-2. Manager Bruce Bochy stressed the importance of having them in the bottom of the lineup:

“Our seven and eight-hole hitters, Hicks with two big hits and then of course, somebody’s got to drive him in. Niese was throwing the ball well, very well. That’s a tough at-bat for Crawford, but he got it done.”

Sergio Romo shut the door with a perfect ninth inning for his 19th save.

Jonathon Niese matched zeros with Cain through four innings, but couldn’t get enough support. He went seven innings with three strikeouts and allowed two runs and a walk for a no-decision.

Cain finished with seven innings pitched, three hits, two earned runs, a walk and three strikeouts. Jeremy Affeldt (W, 1-1, 1.40 ERA) pitched a scoreless seventh to pick up the win.

The Giants will look to take Game 2 of the series when ERA-leader Tim Hudson (6-2, 1.75) takes on righty Bartolo Colon (5-5, 4.52) Saturday night. The game starts at 7:05 p.m.

Notes

The Giants are the first team in the Majors to reach 40 wins this season. … Sergio Romo has converted an MLB-leading 19-of-21 saves this season. … Lefty Jeremy Affeldt pitched a scoreless eighth inning in Friday night’s game on his 35th birthday.

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