Associated Press
SAN FRANCISCO — Kevin Correia pitched six effective innings, Garrett Jones homered and the Pittsburgh Pirates ended a five-game losing streak with a 4-1 victory over the San Francisco Giants on Sunday.
Jones’ first homer of the season and Alex Presley’s RBI single during a two-run second inning off Ryan Vogelsong (0-1) supplied all the power Pittsburgh needed.
Correia (1-0) allowed one run and three hits. He was only nicked by Emmanuel Burriss’ RBI grounder in the fifth to snap San Francisco’s three-game winning streak.
Joel Hanrahan pitched out of a jam in the ninth for his first save this season.
Hanrahan walked two of the first three batters in the ninth to bring the potential tying run to the plate with one out. He then got Gregor Blanco and Angel Pagan on fly balls to ensure Pittsburgh avoided a second straight series sweep.
The Giants lost more than a game Sunday. All-Star closer Brian Wilson confirmed he’s likely headed for season-ending surgery because of structural damage in his right elbow.
Wilson was officially placed on the 15-day disabled list, clearing space for Vogelsong to come off the DL and make his first start of the year. After the journeyman’s breakout season at age 34 last summer, Vogelsong returned ready to recapture his touch.
Instead, Pittsburgh quickly reminded him how difficult an encore might be.
Jones pulled a solo home run over the right-field arcade and Presley lined a two-out single in the second to give Pittsburgh a 2-0 lead.
Vogelsong settled into a rhythm following the shaky start, facing the minimum over the next 3 2-3 innings. The defense also backed his effort, highlighted when third baseman Pablo Sandoval made a diving, over-the-shoulder catch in the top of his glove on Jones’ foul pop in the sixth.
Vogelsong allowed two runs on four hits in 6 2-3 innings. He struck out seven and walked three.
San Francisco’s hitters struggled to be as effective.
Brandon Belt hit a line drive leading off the fifth that tipped off the top of the glove of a leaping Jones at first and trickled into the outfield. Belt barely beat out Jose Tabata’s throw for a double, and scored from third on Burriss’ groundout to short later in the inning for the Giants’ lone run.
Pittsburgh’s relievers kept the Giants scoreless, while San Francisco’s bullpen struggled to keep it close.
Andrew McCutchen and Casey McGehee singled to open the Pittsburgh eighth against Dan Otero, who was lifted for lefty Jeremy Affeldt. Sandoval sailed the throw to first on Neil Walker’s bunt, allowing McCutchen to score from second during a two-run eighth that extended Pittsburgh’s lead to 4-1.
NOTES: The last time the Giants swept the Pirates in a three-game series in San Francisco was July 2009. … Pittsburgh sends LHP Erik Bedard (0-2, 2.25 ERA) to the mound Monday at Arizona opposite LHP Joe Saunders (0-0). … Tim Lincecum (0-1, 12.91) looks to rebound after two horrid starts when San Francisco opens a three-game series against Roy Halladay (2-0, 0.60) and the Philadelphia Phillies on Monday in a marquee matchup of two-time Cy Young Award winners.
