By Chris Estrada (@estradadotc ):
Fans piled into Municipal Stadium in anticipation of seeing San Francisco Giants starter Jeff Samardzija make a rehab appearance against the Stockton Ports.
They might have been disappointed with his start but those who stuck around, were witnesses of a walkoff 8-7 win.
Fans had flashbacks to when Madison Bumgarner rehabbed in San Jose last season where he surrendered nine runs in his outing.
Samardzija was on a 60 pitch count limit and he reached it in the third inning. In 2.2 innings of work, he allowed six runs on five hits while walking two and striking out five.
After getting the first two outs in the first, he ran into some trouble. Samardzija allowed a single then fielded a bunt but threw the ball down the right field line.
Right fielder Sandro Fabian then committed a throwing error home and Samardzija failed to back up catcher Matt Winn allowing the run to trot home.
Samardzija seemed to have temporarily lose focus as he allowed a double and two walks to load the bases for DH Nate Mondou who took Samardzija deep for a grand slam extending the lead to 6-0 to cap off the two-out rally.
After a 35 pitch first inning, Samardzija looked like himself striking out the side in the second.
Reliever Carlos Diaz was brought to replace Samardzija as he walked off the mound to cheers from Giants fans.
But it was still a game for the Giants who were down 6-1, having scored their run in the first off a Jacob Heyward RBI single.
San Jose slowly creeped back into the game scoring a run in the fourth and three in the fifth to make it a one run game.
In the bottom of the ninth, the Giants were down to their final out with the tying run on base.
Gio Brusa hit a shallow pop up to left field where the outfielder was unable to make the catch, allowing the tying run to score extending the game to extras.
Fans got their first look at the new rule implemented this year; in extra innings, the hitting team begins with a runner on second base. The new rule creates new strategies for managers now having to deal with a potential winning run already in scoring position.
In the 11th inning, the Ports took advantage of defensive mistakes to push the go ahead run across giving them a 7-6 lead.
In the bottom half, the Giants were down to their last out with the tying run on first. Jalen Miller, who already had a historical Wednesday night hitting for the cycle, sent everyone home happy hitting with a walk-off home run to left field giving the Giants an 8-7 victory.
On Sunday, the Giants will look to take three of four from the Ports. Start time is 1 p.m. at Municipal Stadium with another rehab appearance scheduled for Will Smith.
