Giants Splash: Buster Posey passes concussion tests

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UPDATE, 7:40 p.m.: Buster Posey passed his concussion tests. Although he will be re-evaluated Thursday morning, before Matt Cain returns to the mound after a 51-week injury hiatus, Posey said he thought he could play if he felt as he did after Wednsday night’s 6-5 loss.

Posey consulted with head athletic trainer Dave Groeschner and elected to leave the game in the fifth inning because he felt "off" after Marcell Ozuna's foul ball blasted him near the chin. Posey knew the feeling from other foul tips and thought it would be wise to come out before he took another one in the same game.

"I've been lucky this year," Posey said. "I really haven't had any that zinged me. That was the first one. I just have to be as smart as possible about these things."

If Posey cannot play in the series finale Thursday, with the Giants trying to avoid a sweep against a team that had been gasping for wins, Andrew Susac will be the lone catcher available, with Joaquin Arias or Ehire Adrianza as the emegency guys.

U PDATE, 6:2 2 p.m. : The Giants confirmed that Posey was being evaluated as a result of the foul ball off the mask. The plan to rpovide an update after the game.

U PDATE 5:55 p.m.: Buster Posey left Wednesday night’t games against the Marlins in the fifth inning. The Giants have not announced why.

Posey did take a hard foul ball to the mask during a three-run third inning against Chris Heston. It’s not clear if that was what caused Posey to leave the game. After he was hit by the Marcell Ozuna ball, he went to the mound for a long chat with Heston.

San Francisco Giants pitcher Chris Heston works against the San Diego Padres in the first inning of a baseball game, Thursday, June 25, 2015, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Ben Margot) San Francisco Giants pitcher Chris Heston works against the San Diego Padres in the first inning of a baseball game, Thursday, June 25, 2015, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Ben Margot) Photo: Ben Margot, Associated Press Photo: Ben Margot, Associated Press Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Giants Splash: Buster Posey passes concussion tests 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

Andrew Susac replaced Posey for the bottom of the fifth.

The Giants, who had been down 3-1, just took a 4-3 lead on Brandon Crawford’s solo homer in the sixth off Dan Haren.

Return here for updates.

UPDATE, 3:15 p.m. Hunter Pence, who has played only 18 games this season, likely will not play another before the All-Star break, manager Bruce Bochy said Wednesday.

"He's doing well, but he is just hitting off a tee now," Bochy said. "We're going to slow-play this. He'll probably need a couple of (minor-league rehab) games. More than likely he'll be back after the All-Star break. I’m going to be hopefully he makes a speedier recovery."

Bochy made that assessment after talking minutes earlier to head athletic trainer Dave Groeschner.

Pence missed the season's first 36 games after he was hit by a pitch in spring training that fractured his arm. He returned for 18 games then returned to the disable list with wrist tendinitis related to the original injury.

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Tim Lincecum (bruised forearm) will be placed on the disabled list Thursday to clear a spot for Matt Cain, who will start for the first time in 51 weeks. Tim Hudson will go on the DL or the seven-day personal leave list to clear a spot for Jake Peavy to pitch in Washington on Friday night.

Hudson was to travel to his home in Alabama on Wednesday to deal with a serious family matter. Hudson also is dealing with several physical issues, including some that had not been revealed, including a sore pitching shoulder.

"Just (scapula) stuff and crankiness," said Hudson, who also has had ankle and hip issues. "It's one of those things that happens throughout the season with most people. When you get older it gets harder to deal with sometimes."

Hudson turns 40 on July 14.

If the Giants absolutely needed Hudson to pitch, he could, but the break will allow him to deal with his myriad issues. He said he has had to do a lot of "maintenance" to pitch every fifth day.

"Rehab, training room, medicine, voodoo," he joked.

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Marco Scutaro, who lives in Miami, visited the clubhouse before the game. The 2012 postseason standout id not speak with reporters but told Bochy he feels great since surgery to fuse vertebrae in his back. His playing days are over.

“It was good seeing Marco,” Bochy said. “He’s fresh and healed up and he said his back is finally at the point where he can do normal activities. I feel good for him. He didn’t want this thing nagging him for the rest of his life.”

ORIGINAL POST: On Tuesday, Chris Heston received the key to the city from his hometown, Palm Bay, Fla, which is about 2 ½ hours north of Miami. He hugged Marlins coach Mike Goff, a former Giants minor-league coach. He hugged Dee Gordon, his roommate and Seminole Junior College.

On Wednesday night, things change for Heston. He needs to beat the Marlins, and will try to do so in front of at least 20 friends and relatives that he knows of, plus other Palm Bayers who will make the trip on their own.

Stopping "Rooms" Gordon will be a key, of course.

Heston is looking for his team-high ninth win, if you still count these things.

The Giants face Dan Haren, who held the Giants to two runs in seven inning in a 7-2 Marlins victory at AT&T Park on May 7.

Tomorrow is the big matchup, of course, with Tommy John returnee Jose Fernandez facing bone chip/flexor tendon returnee Matt Cain.

Here are tonight's lineups:

GIANTS

1. Pagan CF

2. Panik 2B

3. Duffy 3B

4. Posey C

5. Belt 1B

6. Crawford SS

7. Blanco LF

8. Maxwell RF

9. Heston P

MARLINS

1. Gordon 2B

2. Yelich LF

3. Hechavarria SS

4. Bour 1B

5. Realmuto C

6. Dietrich 3B

7. Ozuna CF

8. Gillespie (2013 Giants farmhand) RF

9. Haren P