Vizquel’s suicide squeeze leads Giants past his former club, 3-2

The former Tribe shortstop bunted home a run in San Francisco’s victory.

CLEVELAND (AP) — Jonathan Sanchez won for the fifth time in six starts and Omar Vizquel dropped down a suicide squeeze in his emotional homecoming as the San Francisco Giants beat the Indians 3-2 on Tuesday night in the first game between the clubs in Cleveland since the 1954 World Series.

Sanchez (7-4) allowed five hits, stuck out eight and improved to 4-0 on the road since May 28. The left-hander was four outs from his first career complete game when the Indians threatened in the eighth.

Pinch-hitter Casey Blake doubled high off the left-field wall, missing a game-tying home run by inches, and moved up on Grady Sizemore’s fly to right. Sanchez was pulled for Tyler Walker, who struck out Jamey Carroll to preserve the Giants’ lead.

Brian Wilson worked the ninth for his 20th save in 22 tries, helped by one of Vizquel’s patented defensive gems at shortstop.

The first matchup in Ohio between the clubs since the ’54 Series — made famous by Willie Mays’ over-the-shoulder catch at the Polo Grounds in New York — included Vizquel’s return to the city that still treats him as one of its own.

The 11-time Gold Glove winner spent 11 seasons with the Indians, who chose not to pick up his option before the 2005 season.

One of the most popular players in Cleveland history, the fun-loving 41-year-old was honored before the game with a tribute on the stadium’s video scoreboard.

Indians fans cheered as highlights were shown of Vizquel’s sensational stops, some backhanded and some barehanded, and they rose as one to salute the man many of them came to see. As his teammates applauded, Vizquel walked toward the infield grass he once patrolled to tip his cap and bow in thanks.

Vizquel was 0-for-3 and had left the bases loaded in a tie game in the seventh when he came up in the ninth with runners at second and third and one out.

And as he did so many times for the Indians, Vizquel smartly placed a bunt down to score Rich Aurilia, who broke for home on Masa Kobayashi’s pitch, making it 3-1.

The Indians made it interesting in the ninth.

Ben Francisco led off with a single and went to third on Jhonny Peralta’s single. Wilson struck out Ryan Garko before pinch-hitter David Dellucci poked a grounder toward the hole that Vizquel ran down, backhanded and made a leaping throw to second for the force as Francisco scored to make it 3-2.

Wilson walked Shin-Soo Choo but fanned Kelly Shoppach to end it.

The Giants took a 2-1 lead in the eighth with an unearned run off Rafael Betancourt (2-4) on catcher Shoppach’s throwing error.

Indians starter Aaron Laffey allowed one run and four hits in 62‚Ñ3 innings.

Notes

Sanchez threw four no-hitters at Ohio Dominican College in Columbus before being drafted by the Giants in 2004. ... Indians manager Eric Wedge said that RHP Fausto Carmona, sidelined since May 24 with a sore left hip, and DH Travis Hafner, out since May 30 with a sore right shoulder, are “feeling stronger.” Carmona is scheduled to throw in the bullpen later this week. Hafner, who recently visited famed orthopedist Dr. James Andrews, will be evaluated to see if he has regained strength. ... The Indians swept a three-game series in San Francisco in 2005. ... Giants 3B Jose Castillo reached over the netting near the Indians’ dugout in the third to snatch a foul pop. ... The last time the Giants were in Cleveland — Game 4 of the ’54 Series — was played before a crowd of 78,102 at Municipal Stadium.