Tigers' late rally falls short against Giants

San Francisco Giants second baseman Emmanuel Burriss, left, loses the ball as Detroit Tigers' Austin Jackson steals second base in the sixth inning of an interleague baseball game Friday in Detroit. The Giants defeated the Tigers 4-3.

DETROIT -- Pablo Sandoval hit a tiebreaking double in the top of the ninth inning, then the San Francisco Giants held on for a 4-3 win over the Detroit Tigers last night when Brennan Boesch lined into a double play with the bases loaded.

The Giants were coming off back-to-back losses to the Cubs -- both in Chicago's last at-bat. They nearly fell again in wild fashion. After scoring three runs in the top of the ninth, San Francisco allowed two in the bottom half before shortstop Brandon Crawford caught Boesch's soft line drive and quickly stepped on second to double off Brandon Inge, ending the game.

Brian Wilson (6-1) got the win, but only after blowing a save for the second straight day. Wilson allowed Magglio Ordonez's RBI single in the eighth that tied it at 1.

After the Giants took the lead, Wilson started the ninth but had to be pulled with one out, the bases loaded, and a run already in. Wilson slugged a cooler in the dugout with a bat after leaving the game.

Jeremy Affeldt came on, and Detroit pulled within one when second baseman Emmanuel Burriss muffed a slow grounder for an error. Boesch was up next and made solid contact, but he hit the ball to the worst possible place.

It was Affeldt's third save of the season.

The Tigers dropped a half-game behind first-place Cleveland in the AL Central.

Madison Bumgarner allowed a run and five hits over 7⅓ outstanding innings for San Francisco. He struck out nine and walked one.

Detroit scratched out a run after Bumgarner departed following a walk by Inge. Sergio Romo came on and got the second out of the inning, but Javier Lopez then took the mound and allowed a single to pinch-hitter Boesch.

Wilson was next out of the bullpen, and Ordonez greeted him with a single to right.

It didn't stay tied for long. Chris Stewart led off the ninth with a double, and Aaron Rowand followed with a single, reaching base as part of his broken bat went flying over the third-base dugout.

One out later, Sandoval hit a ground-rule double to left-center to make it 2-1. The Giants added two more runs when Jose Valverde (2-3) and Brayan Villarreal issued bases-loaded walks.

Rowand had three hits.

Detroit's Brad Penny allowed a run and seven hits in seven innings. He struck out two and walked two.

The Giants threatened early, putting runners at first and third with nobody out in the first. Penny got out of the jam thanks to a fantastic play by left fielder Casper Wells. Sandoval lifted a foul ball toward the seats, and Wells not only caught it amid reaching fans -- but he also threw home to catch Rowand.

Sandoval made the most of his next big opportunity. With Rowand on second and two outs in the fifth, he sliced an 0-2 pitch to the gap in left-center to put the Giants ahead.

Bumgarner has been excellent since being knocked out in the first inning of a June 21 start against Minnesota.

In his two outings since then, he's allowed two runs in 14⅓ innings, with 20 strikeouts and two walks.

Detroit's Lester Oliveros made his major league debut in the eighth, striking out two and allowing a hit and a walk in an inning.

Alburquerque placed on DL by Tigers

DETROIT -- The Tigers placed right-hander Al Alburquerque on the 15-day disabled list because of inflammation in his right forearm, leaving the team without the reliever who has confounded American League hitters for most of the season with his sharp slider.

Alburquerque is 5-1 with a 2.79 ERA. He has 47 strikeouts in 29 innings, holding opponents to a .157 slugging percentage.

Manager Jim Leyland recently called the rookie a "godsend" and said if it weren't for him, Detroit would be six or seven games worse off.

Leyland said he expects Alburquerque to return quickly after the All-Star break.

"I think Alburquerque will be right back," Leyland said. "We went on the cautious side."

The Tigers recalled right-hander Oliveros from Toledo.

The DL move is retroactive to Thursday.

Alburquerque has looked shaky recently. He gave up two hits against Arizona on Sunday and allowed three runs in 1⅓ innings Wednesday night against the New York Mets.