Giants get creative for extra-inning relief

PHOENIX — When Giants manager Bruce Bochy said before Friday night’s game against the Arizona Diamondbacks that situations, not roles, would dictate how he would mix and match his use of relievers, he meant it.

Santiago Casilla will remain part of that mix, though the Giants’ 7-6, 12-inning victory over Arizona included Casilla’s eighth blown save of the season. But the game also featured Cory Gearrin’s flip-flopping between pitching and playing outfield, enabling Bochy to keep the right-hander in the game to obtain optimal matchups.

Gearrin was informed by bullpen coach Mark Gardner as he warmed up that he might switch to left field to await a return to the mound while Bochy employed a lefty-against-lefty matchup. That’s indeed what happened after Gearrin struck out Chris Owings to begin the 12th. Javier Lopez entered the game to face Arizona’s Jake Lamb as Gearrin went to left.

Gearrin related that center fielder Denard Span and right fielder Hunter Pence asked him, “What are you doing out here?” When they told Gearrin to play Lamb straightaway, he asked them, “Where do I line up for that?”

Of course, all pitchers are somewhat familiar with the outfield, …

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