San Francisco, CA (Sports Network) – Pat Burrell hit the tie-breaking solo homer off Jason Berg leading off the bottom of the eighth inning, lifting San Francisco to a 5-4 win over the Chicago Cubs.
Burrell, who had the game-winning RBI Monday night after hitting a sacrifice fly in 11th inning, belted a 1-2 offering from Berg (0-1) over the wall in left field for his eighth homer of the season. He also singled in two runs in the first inning.
Aaron Rowand also homered for the National League wild card-leading Giants, who bounced back from an 8-6 loss on Tuesday.
Barry Zito yielded 10 hits and four runs over 6 1/3 innings. Sergio Romo (5-3) recorded two strikeouts over 1 2/3 frames and Brian Wilson struck out Starlin Castro to leave a runner at second base to end the game. Wilson earned his 33rd save.
Tyler Colvin and Marlon Byrd each belted solo homers, but the Cubs faltered to their 12th defeat in 14 contests.
Pinch-hitter Kosuke Fukudome had an infield single with one out in the ninth and Colvin grounded out, but Castro swung through an outside pitch to end the contest.
The Giants scored three times in the opening inning. Buster Posey’s groundout plated Andres Torres and Burrell followed with a base hit to left.
Byrd led off the fourth with a blast to left field and the Cubs tied it in the sixth. Xavier Nady doubled in Castro and then scored on Alfonso Soriano’s bloop hit down the right field line.
Rowand’s homer to left-center with two down in the bottom of the sixth moved the Giants ahead, 4-3, but Colvin went deep to right field the next inning.
Cubs starter Tom Gorzelanny surrendered eight hits and four runs over six innings.
The four-game series concludes Thursday with Randy Wells (5-10, 4.37) facing San Francisco’s Matt Cain (9-9, 3.06)…Before the game, the Giants put shortstop Edgar Renteria on the 15-day disabled list due to a left bicep strain, and then made a trade with the Cubs to shore up their infield. The Giants acquired Mike Fontenot from Chicago in exchange for minor league outfielder Evan Crawford. The Giants also activated infielder Eugenio Velez from the 15-day disabled list and optioned him to Triple-A Fresno…The Cubs scratched third baseman Aramis Ramirez with a sore rib cage…Giants third baseman Pablo Sandoval turned 24 on Wednesday and had two hits…Giants starters have not registered a victory over their last eight games.