Before the game, Giants manager Bruce Bochy said Freddy Sanchez is close to a rehab start. Emmanuel Burriss isn't ready. Burriss led off the bottom of the ninth inning and slapped a solid base hit to right field on the first pitch he saw, spurring the Giants' walk-off rally.
Brandon Belt, who was in the on-deck circle, was called back and veteran Ryan Theriot was sent out to sacrifice Burriss over. Only he failed to do so, worked an eight pitch at-bat and executed a textbook hit-and-run to get Burriss to third base.
After Angel Pagan was intentionally walked, the Giants' hottest hitter Melky Cabrera came to the plate. Cabrera, 0-for-3 on the night, wouldn't get his first hit of the night, but he would win the game. Shortstop Clint Barmes' throw home short-hopped Rod Barajas, who could not coral it, allowing the winning run to score.
Starting pitching report: The Pirates made sure there would be no back-to-back shutouts for Barry Zito early. With two outs in the first inning, Andrew McCutchen roped a single into left field. Casey McGehee's bloop single and a walk to Rod Barajas brought Neil Walker to the plate. Walker delivered a two-run base hit to open the Game 2 scoring.
Zito settled down, though, going three-up-three-down in the second and third.
He was tagged with an unearned run in the fifth inning on a forgettable defensive play for the Giants.