Giants lose 8-5 to Pirates and old friend Ryan Vogelsong

On the night Ryan Vogelsong returned to San Francisco in a Pirates uniform and got cheered, the Giants took unique measures to try beating their old pal.

Vogelsong was lifted two outs into the sixth inning, and before reaching the visitors’ dugout, he stopped to wave his cap to the cheering crowd, an acknowledgment that they shared two World Series championships.

Fans knew about his inspirational journey that brought him back to the Giants, his original team, and all his October success stories — the Giants won all seven of his postseason starts.

“I’m out there in the right-field corner (warming up before the game), and the fans are screaming at me, and I love every second of it,” said Vogelsong, who admitted he was mentally exhausted anticipating the start.

Thanks to a homer and four RBIs from Gregory Polanco, Vogelsong exited with a 5-4 lead in the sixth inning despite allowing solo homers to Eduardo Nuñez and Denard Span.

The left-hander, acquired at the trade deadline, gave up his first hit in the fourth inning.

[...] it was third baseman Nuñez’s turn, and he made the final two outs in the fifth inning — he threw out Andrew McCutchen from the sitting position and David Freese from one knee, both throws one-hopping into Brandon Belt’s mitt.

With two outs in the seventh, Nuñez hit a liner to left-center that seemed a two-run gapper, and McCutchen made a diving, backhanded, inning-ending catch and preserved a three-run lead.

Speaking of stellar defense, Trevor Brown was thrown out at home on a nifty throw by left fielder Starling Marte and niftier tag by Francisco Cervelli.