Giants bullpen coughs up lead in ninth inning in loss to Marlins

SAN FRANCISCO - Miguel Rojas followed Lewis Brinson’s RBI single with a go-ahead base hit as the Miami Marlins rallied in the ninth inning and overcame an early four-run deficit to beat the San Francisco Giants 5-4 on Monday night.

Hunter Strickland (3-3), San Francisco’s second reliever, blew his fourth save in 17 chances. He walked Brian Anderson to begin the ninth then surrendered J.T. Realmuto’s RBI double.

Tayron Guerrero (1-2) pitched the eighth before Kyle Barraclough closed out the 2-hour, 47-minute game for his third save as Giants fans booed the home team.

Pablo Sandoval hit a two-run homer in the second and Andrew Suarez struck out seven, but San Francisco failed to hold a lead as it opened an extended stretch at home.

Joe Panik added an RBI single in the second after Buster Posey led off the inning with a double that center fielder Brinson misjudged, letting it go over his head.

Andrew Suarez had his third consecutive no-decision and second in a row against the Marlins after the Giants’ 5-4 loss at Miami on Wednesday, when the clubs played a four-game series in South Florida to begin last week.

Mac Williamson also had an RBI single as the Giants lost for just the second time in their past nine home games. They began a schedule with 20 of 26 at AT&T Park after nearly a month with only eight games in the Bay Area.

Marlins starter Caleb Smith, who made his first career start against the Giants last Wednesday and matched up against Suarez for a second consecutive outing, was done after four innings, allowing four runs on six hits, striking out four and walking two.

Miami committed two errors and had managed only Rojas’ two-run single in the fifth before getting to Strickland. Among the Marlins’ most reliable hitters this month, Anderson played at AT&T Park for the first time and went 0 for 3 - making him 0 for 10 in his past three games.

NOTES

The Giants’ first-round draft pick, catcher Joey Bart, the No. 2 overall selection who signed for a bonus of more than $7 million, arrived to AT&T Park for a stop before he returns to Arizona to get some at-bats before reporting to Class A short-season Salem-Keizer in the Northwest League.

“This is unbelievable,” he said. “I’m lucky to be in this position. I’m ready to take off from here.”

Bart said he planned to ride BART - Bay Area Rapid Transit - today.

He enjoyed the atmosphere at the ballpark.

“I’d love to be out here as soon as possible,” he said of reaching the big leagues.

Giants right-hander Johnny Cueto threw a 40-pitch, two-inning simulated game, facing Hunter Pence as one of the hitters, as he works back from inflammation in his pitching elbow. The Giants will determine the next step - starting a rehab appearance or throwing again to live hitters - based on how he feels today.