HOWIE RUMBERG
AP Sports Writer
NEW YORK (AP) — By manager Terry Collins’ count Jonathon Niese made three bad throws all night — two pitches that were hit for triples and one attempted toss to second base.
That’s all the support Ryan Vogelsong needed.
The San Francisco Giants’ right-hander held the New York Mets to two hits in a swift 5-1 win Friday night for his first nine-inning complete game.
“I think it was just a matter of when they did any damage, he just didn’t make the pitch he wanted to make,” Collins said. “Otherwise, I thought he threw the ball good.”
Niese (5-7) threw an efficient 87 pitches — 68 strikes — in eight-plus innings, nearly matching Vogelsong in the second-fastest game in the major leagues this year at 2 hours, 6 minutes. But Niese gave up nine hits and five runs — three earned.
Brandon Crawford had a run-scoring single, Matt Duffy an RBI single for his first big league hit and Hunter Pence added a two-run triple and RBI groundout off Niese for San Francisco, which won its second straight after six losses in a row.
The throw Niese regretted most, though, was to second base in the second inning.
Juan Perez led off with a double. Gregor Blanco then bounced back to Niese. The left-hander tried to nab Perez, who got caught off second, but he bounced the throw and Perez raced into third. Crawford followed with an RBI single and Pence drove in another with a grounder.
“It’s unfortunate, because that’s a situation where I can’t make a mistake, and I did,” Niese said. “Just made a mistake and paid for it, costing us runs and, ultimately, the game.”
Vogelsong (6-8) faced 28 batters, one over the limit, allowing Juan Lagares’ soft single leading off the sixth and Lucas’ Duda’s 20th homer to start the eighth. In ending a five-decision losing skid, he walked one and got two double plays. Vogelsong threw 102 pitches.
“My last month has been pretty tough,” Vogelsong said. “I just told myself it’s time to have a good last two months … and do my part to try to get us into the postseason. It’s a good start tonight.”
Pence tripled to right-center after Crawford tripled down the right field line and Vogelsong was hit by a pitch in the seventh. Pence was 4 for 33 coming in.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Giants: Right-hander Matt Cain needs surgery to remove bone chips from his elbow. He still is not sure when he will have the operation but manager Bruce Bochy thinks the former ace is done for the season. Recovery is about three months.
Mets: Ace Matt Harvey threw off the mound for first time since having Tommy John surgery on Oct. 22. He made 15 pitches at about 60 percent effort. Harvey still is hoping for a possible return in late September. “I’m not writing 2014 out, but there’s still a lot more to go and a lot more to prove in order to be healthy enough to come back,” Harvey said.
UP NEXT
Giants: Right-hander Jake Peavy (0-1) will make his second start for San Francisco. Peavy has lost his last 10 decisions — nine with Boston — but has had success at Citi Field. He is 2-0 with a 3.09 ERA against the Mets in Queens.
Mets: Right-hander Jacob deGrom (5-5) has won four straight starts. According to research by the Elias Sports Bureau, he is one of four rookie pitchers since 1982 to win four consecutive starts of six innings or more while allowing no more than one run. The others are Roy Oswalt, Jered Weaver and Cain.
12 FIRST BASEMEN WITH 20
Duda became the 12th Mets first baseman to reach 20 homers in a season. Ike Davis, whom New York traded to Pittsburgh after giving Duda the starting role, was the most recent in 2012.
DOUBLE BUMP
The Giants promoted Duffy and outfielder Jarrett Parker from Double-A Richmond to take the roster spots of Dan Uggla and Tyler Colvin, who were designated for assignment. Duffy started at second base and singled in a run in the seventh for his first career hit. He rounded first with a big grin as Pablo Sandoval, near the on-deck circle called for the ball. “I didn’t have as many nerves as I thought I would,” Duffy said.
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