http://0rz.tw/CrdOX Tejada-led Giants rally for fifth straight win Veteran fights out of slump with three hits, go-ahead run By Chris Haft / MLB.com | 5/12/2011 3:09 AM ET SAN FRANCISCO -- The Giants finally saw the version of Miguel Tejada they believed they had signed. Until Wednesday, Tejada had hit a listless and somewhat luckless .195, including .145 (10-for-69) in his previous 19 games. He led the Giants in two dubious categories: errors and double-play grounders, amassing five of each. But the 14th-year veteran thrived against the D-backs, recording his first three-hit game of the season and handling five fielding chances with elan as the Giants secured a 4-3 victory. The Giants endured a ninth-inning scare to win their season-high fifth game in a row and seventh in their last eight. Brian Wilson yielded Xavier Nady's leadoff double and walked Gerardo Parra before retiring the next three D-backs hitters to convert his 12th consecutive save opportunity. San Francisco (20-16) overcame a 3-0 deficit to pull into a virtual first-place tie in the National League West with Colorado (19-15). The Giants staged a two-out rally to score twice in the fourth, aided by a wild pitch from Arizona starter Armando Galarraga (3-3) that scored Aaron Rowand. "Definitely, I lost it," Galarraga said. "Just got out of focus a little bit." Aubrey Huff yanked a leadoff homer to tie the score in the fifth and Andres Torres hit a gargantuan ground-rule double off reliever Juan Gutierrez to drive in the go-ahead run in the sixth. Tejada, however, was the linchpin of the offense. His single in the fourth delivered the inning's first run and broke a personal 0-for-20 skid with runners in scoring position. His sixth-inning double, which chased Galarraga, enabled him to score on Torres' big hit. With that single swing, Tejada recorded his first extra-base hit and multi-hit game since April 15 at Arizona. Through the succession of ineffectual grounders and line-drive outs that had characterized his season, Tejada maintained his confidence. "I feel like every day is going to be a great day for me," said Tejada, who signed a one-year, $6.5 million deal with the Giants during the offseason. "I'm the kind of guy that never quits. I feel like every day is the day I can break out of a big slump." Right fielder Cody Ross articulated the Giants' faith in the six-time All-Star. "It was just a matter of time before he had a game like that to get him going," Ross said. "He's had some tough breaks, hitting balls right at guys. It's nice to see him have a big day like that. You can feel the energy from him. It's good for our team." Tejada, who's likely to switch between shortstop and third base until Pablo Sandoval recovers from surgery to remove his fractured right hamate bone, played the latter position and highlighted the defensive portion of his evening with a Rickey Henderson-style snap catch of Henry Blanco's foul popup to end the sixth inning. Other Giants made flashier plays. Rowand dived to snare Parra's line drive to left field earlier in the sixth. And second baseman Freddy Sanchez lunged to his right to smother Kelly Johnson's seventh-inning grounder before throwing to first base on one knee for the out. Nor was Tejada's performance the lone resurgent effort for San Francisco. Jonathan Sanchez (3-2), accused by manager Bruce Bochy of lacking concentration in his previous start last Friday at New York, overcame Arizona's early surge to last six innings and earn the decision. Sanchez's progress against Blanco reflected his improvement as the night elapsed. Blanco, who entered the game hitting .154, drilled a second-inning RBI single and homered in the fourth. But with a runner on first base, two outs in the sixth and right-hander Guillermo Mota warming up in the bullpen, Bochy left Sanchez in the game to face Blanco, who lifted the aforementioned popup to Tejada. "I thought he had a better tempo going," Bochy said of Sanchez, who struck out seven and matched a season low by issuing two walks. "He just looked more confident out there. Still not quite as good as he will be, but overall, his presence out there was better tonight." Chris Haft is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs. --

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