Rollins leads Phillies over Giants 4-3 in 12
PHILADELPHIA — Jimmy Rollins got the opportunity he wanted and delivered.
Rollins hit an RBI single to lift the Philadelphia Phillies to a 4-3 victory over the San Francisco Giants in 12 innings Sunday.
John Mayberry Jr. hit two solo homers for the last-place Phillies, and Nate Schierholtz hit a pair of solo shots for the NL West-leading Giants.
The Phillies snapped a seven-game home losing streak and avoided their first sweep against the Giants since 2004.
Brad Penny (0-1) walked Carlos Ruiz with one out in the 12th. Laynce Nix followed with a single to right to move Ruiz to third. Rollins then lined the first pitch to right to end it.
“I always look forward to it,” Rollins said about clutch situations. “I’ve faced Brad Penny a lot. I had an idea what he wanted to do. That’s not a role he’s used to.”
The five-time defending NL East champions are 10½ games behind Atlanta in the wild-card standings. But they’re not looking ahead to next year just yet.
“We have the horses now, we’re getting back to full strength and the pitchers have been doing a good job,” Rollins said.
Kyle Kendrick (4-8) tossed 2 1-3 innings to earn the win and extended his career-best scoreless streak to 18 2-3 innings.
Phillies starter Joe Blanton gave up three runs and seven hits in eight innings, increasing his trade value with another strong second-half start. Since 2008, Blanton has the best record in the majors after the All-Star break at 17-5.
The right-hander will be a free agent after the season, so the Phillies might move him before the July 31 nonwaiver trade deadline unless they start to make a run.
“Everybody here is trying to win games and play the best we can,” Blanton said. “Anything that happens is out of our control.”
San Francisco’s Barry Zito allowed three runs and five hits, striking out seven in seven innings. Zito is having his best season for the Giants since signing a $126 million, seven-year contract in December 2006.
“I like how he’s throwing the ball,” Giants manager Bruce Bochy said.
After Mayberry gave the Phillies their first lead, 3-2, on his second homer in the seventh, Schierholtz answered with his second in the eighth. He hit a high drive to right to tie it at 3.
Blanton escaped further trouble in the inning when right fielder Hunter Pence saved two runs by making a running basket catch on Buster Posey’s deep fly to right.
Mayberry drove a 3-2 pitch into the seats in left to tie it at 2 in the fourth. He hadn’t driven in a run in his previous 39 at-bats, going back to June 24.
“At times, when he hits the ball, he’s good,” Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said.
Pablo Sandoval’s RBI double to left-center gave the Giants a 2-1 lead in the fourth.
Schierholtz ripped a 2-0 pitch way out to right for his first career leadoff homer to give the Giants a 1-0 lead.
Chase Utley’s RBI triple in the bottom half tied it at 1. Zito escaped a first-and-third, one-out jam by getting Pence to ground into his 13th double play.
Zito stranded runners on second and third in the third by striking out Ryan Howard on a 74 mph curveball.
NOTES: Blanton has allowed 22 homers, second-most in the majors. ... Zito allowed his 12th earned run in the first inning in 19 starts. ... Melky Cabrera extended his hitting streak to nine games with a first-inning double. ... Schierholtz has five homers this season, including two multihomer games. ... Nix came off the disabled list after missing more than two months with a left calf strain. OF Jason Pridie was designated for assignment. He went 3 for 10 with a homer in a brief stay. ... Mayberry has hit all eight of his homers since May 11. ... The Phillies had their 267th consecutive sellout, including postseason games. ... Roy Halladay (4-5, 3.96 ERA) makes his second start since returning from the disabled list when the Phillies open a three-game series against Milwaukee on Monday night. ... Ryan Vogelsong (7-4, 3.21) pitches for the Giants in the opener of a three-game series against San Diego on Monday.