San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Yusmeiro Petit throws against the Arizona Diamondbacks in the sixth inning of their baseball game Friday, Sept. 6, 2013, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Yusmeiro Petit almost got the perfect revenge against his former team.
Petit lost his bid for a perfect game on Eric Chavez’s two-out single in the ninth, and then recovered to retire the final batter in the San Francisco Giants’ 3-0 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday night.
Petit (3-0) struck out Chris Owings, who starred for the Reno Aces this year, to begin the ninth, and Gerardo Parra followed with a routine grounder to second. Diamondbacks manager Kirk Gibson then sent Chavez to the plate to hit for pitcher Patrick Corbin, and the crowd of 41,190 roared in anticipation.
Petit tried a 2-2 breaking ball that Chavez almost chased. The veteran third baseman lined the next pitch to right, and Petit crouched as the ball left the bat. It landed just in front of Hunter Pence, and Petit put both hands over his head after the hit fell in.
Pence made a terrific catch on a similar play to help preserve a no-hitter by Tim Lincecum in San Diego on July 13. Instead, Petit became the second pitcher this season to lose a perfect game with two outs in the ninth, joining Texas ace Yu Darvish, who surrendered a single to Marwin Gonzalez at Houston on April 2.
The crowd responded with a standing ovation for Petit, who struck out seven in his 95-pitch gem. A.J. Pollock grounded out to third to finish Petit’s first complete game.
Before the ninth, the closest Arizona came to a hit was Corbin’s sinking line drive to left that forced Juan Perez to make a shoestring catch.