CINCINNATI _ Giants starter Casey Kelly had breakfast with a member of the Cincinnati Reds coaching staff, but he wasn't there to gather intel on the hitters he'll face Friday.
Instead, it was a reunion for Kelly and his father Pat, who took over as the Reds bench coach earlier this season after a staff shakeup.
After the Giants placed rookie Dereck Rodriguez on the disabled list Thursday with a Grade 1 hamstring strain, Kelly made a spot start in the club's 2-1 walk-off loss to the Reds Friday.
The last time Kelly was on the mound, Dodgers second baseman Brian Dozier hit a walk-off sacrifice fly to down the Giants in the 12th inning. On Friday, Kelly began the game on the mound, but it was reliever Ray Black who gave up a walk-off solo shot to Reds outfielder Phillip Ervin in the bottom of the 11th.
Ervin's home run was just the second hit allowed by a Giants reliever in 52/3 innings off of five pitchers who backed up Kelly to give San Francisco's offense ample opportunities to win the series opener.
The Giants had a chance to take the lead in the top of the 10th, but after a two-out single from Andrew McCutchen moved pinch hitter Gorkys Hernandez to third base, Alen Hanson struck out on three pitches to end the threat.
Pat Kelly met with reporters hours before Friday's game and said it's the first time he would watch his son pitch in a major-league game from the opposing dugout.
"I'll have the best seat in the house," Pat said. "Usually I'm up in the stands with a hotdog and a beer the few times a year I get to see him pitch. I'll be up close and it's fun."
Casey allowed leadoff hits in four of the five innings he appeared in and pitched in traffic throughout Friday's start, but once runners reached scoring position, the green light he gave the Cincinnati offense turned red.
The Reds ran into two outs in the bases as Kelly picked off speedy center fielder Billy Hamilton in the first before Buster Posey threw out Jose Peraza after he tried to steal second in the fifth. Kelly limited the Reds to one hit in five chances with a runner on second and gave up his only run after first baseman Tucker Barnhart began the second inning with a double.
The Cincinnati lead didn't last long after rookie Steven Duggar led off the top of the third with his ninth double of the season. After a Kelly bunt advanced Duggar to third, McCutchen singled Duggar home and picked up his team-high 53rd RBI of the season.
The Giants had leadoff runners reach base in each of the next two innings, but failed to score against Reds starter Anthony DeSclafani who induced a double play in the fourth and picked up two strikeouts after Joe Panik's single opened the fifth.
After Panik's single, DeSclafani retired 10 consecutive Giants and was efficient enough to last 72/3 innings Friday.
Giants manager Bruce Bochy pulled Kelly after he had allowed 10 baserunners over 41/3 innings. The right-hander threw 20 in 1 1/3 innings of relief Wednesday in Los Angeles, but San Francisco opted to start Kelly anyway as long reliever Ty Blach, the other potential spot starter, threw 35 pitches in Wednesday's loss.
Instead of filling the roster spot vacated by Rodriguez with an additional pitcher, the Giants began Friday's game with 24 players. The club plans to activate reliever Hunter Strickland (fractured hand) from the 60-day disabled list Saturday, and after the bullpen was taxed in the series opener, Strickland will likely be called upon on his first day back.
