Pirates fall to San Francisco in series opener

Associated Press

SAN FRANCISCO

Barry Zito is used to hearing a chorus of boos when he walks off the mound at AT&T Park. If he continues to pitch well, standing ovations may become the norm.

Zito pitched into the seventh inning to win his second consecutive start and the San Francisco Giants beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 9-3 on Monday night.

Bengie Molina went 4 for 4 with four RBIs for San Francisco. Pablo Sandoval had three hits and scored twice.

Zito (2-0) allowed three runs and five hits in his 100th career start with the Giants. The left-hander has won his first two starts for the first time since 2003, when he finished 14-12.

Zito worked out of a two-out, two-on jam in the first, gave up a run in the second and another in the fifth, but kept the Pirates in check most of the night. He received a standing ovation when he departed after the first two batters reached in the seventh.

“That’s great,” Zito said of the warm reception. “When I was getting booed, I took that constructively as they want us to win and that’s all passion manifesting. I know they want me to do well and it’s just frustration if I don’t. I wouldn’t want it to be any other way.”

Akinori Iwamura and Andy LaRoche had two hits apiece for the Pirates, who have lost six straight at AT&T Park. Iwamura had two RBIs and LaRoche scored twice.

“We’ve just been playing catch-up the last couple of days,” Pittsburgh manager John Russell said. “We had opportunities ... but when you’re playing catch-up it’s tough.”

The Giants finished with 12 hits and received plenty of help from Pittsburgh’s pitchers, who walked six and hit three batters, but it was Zito’s pitching that stood out the most.