The Buster Posey Bustin' Out Tour of America has been a load of fun for the Giants and their fans to watch. On Saturday night, it officially became a winner.
With Posey delivering four more hits, including the go-ahead single in the seventh inning and another opposite-field homer in the ninth, the Giants assured themselves a winning record on their longest trip of the year by coming from behind twice to swat the Nats 10-5.
The Giants will head into the All-Star break today after finishing a 7-4 or 6-5 trip, a solid outcome either way after the Denver debacle that started it.
Since the tour through Colorado, Milwaukee and Washington began, Posey has posted Little League numbers. He is hitting .514 in 37 at-bats with four walks, six home runs and 12 RBIs. He has 23 RBIs in 134 at-bats on the year.
"Six home runs in 10 games is pretty ridiculous," said Joe Martinez, who relieved a shaky Jonathan Sanchez to launch a superb night for the bullpen. "Buster's a really good player. They didn't hype him because he's not good. He's obviously productive offensively and good defensively as well. As a pitcher I like throwing to him. We can expect big things from him."
Posey not only singled twice, doubled to set up a sacrifice fly and homered against Miguel Batista, he threw out two runners at third base in the sixth inning, one on a bunt and the other on a steal attempt, at a key juncture. The Giants trailed 5-4 and needed a stop.
"Catching, throwing, his bat - he's really impressed everyone, us and the fans," manager Bruce Bochy said. "He's got a great way about him, he doesn't panic, he has a great swing and power."
Bochy had so much faith in Posey's ability to make contact, he had Freddy Sanchez and Aubrey Huff running from second and first base on three consecutive 3-2 pitches from Tyler Clippard with one out in the seventh in a 5-5 game. Posey hit the first two foul, then grounded a perfectly placed single through the right side to score Sanchez for a 6-5 lead.
Juan Uribe, in his return from a sprained finger, sealed it with a two-run double to right-center, his first hit in 24 at-bats.
Aaron Rowand made two big contributions as he hit leadoff in place of injured Andres Torres. Rowand not only tied the game 5-5 with a one-out homer in the seventh, he also helped Posey devise an approach against Clippard.
Posey's home run was upheld on video review after it appeared a fan reached over the rail in right field to grab it. He might have been a Giants fan, too. The woman accompanying him wore a Panda headdress.
"It wasn't a great feeling," Posey said of the moments the umpires were watching video. "I really didn't want to go to second base."
Jonathan Sanchez hit a two-run single in the second inning, but as Bochy said, "He brought his bat, but not his pitching."
Sanchez again struggled with control and walked his first two hitters. Both scored. He was done in the fourth with five runs against him.
He was pitching on the anniversary of his no-hitter. On Saturday morning, a friend texted him and said, "You should throw another no-hitter." Sanchez would have settled for six solid innings.
Pablo Sandoval was 0-for-2 with three walks. Bochy said he met with Sandoval before the game to discuss the third baseman's struggles and other issues to discover "where he's at, how he's doing and where his head is at."
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