Garrett Jones’ run-scoring single in the eighth inning put the Pittsburgh Pirates ahead for good as they defeated the San Francisco Giants, 6-5, on Tuesday night.

An error by San Francisco shortstop Edgar Renteria helped set up Pittsburgh’s go-ahead run, before the Pirates added two more in the ninth on Andy LaRoche’s solo homer and Akinori Iwamura’s RBI-single.

The insurance runs proved important because San Francisco’s Eugenio Velez hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth to make it a one-run contest.

Closer Octavio Dotel settled down to finish off his second save of the season.

Evan Meek (1-0) earned the win with two innings in relief of starter Paul Maholm.

Pittsburgh jumped out to a 3-0 lead on an Iwamura’s home run and an RBI single by Ryan Doumit, but the Giants battled back to tie the score.

San Francisco scored once in the bottom of the third when Aaron Rowand came home on Pablo Sandoval’s single and pulled within 3-2 in the fifth when Mark DeRosa doubled in Rowand.

The Giants tied the score in the sixth on Velez’s infield groundout.

Reliever Jeremy Affeldt (2-1) gave up the one unearned run in taking the loss.