Austin Slater had three hits and drove in two runs out of the leadoff spot, Logan Webb outpitched Framber Valdez, and the San Francisco Giants wrapped up a series win over the visiting Houston Astros with a 5-3 victory Wednesday afternoon.
After two low-scoring affairs that resulted in a split, the Giants got their bats going against Valdez, against whom they had totaled just four runs in two previous head-to-heads. This time, they roughed him up for five runs in just four innings, taking a 5-1 lead they massaged to the finish.
Slater contributed a bunt single and a run scored to a two-run third, then provided the highlight to a three-run fourth with a two-RBI double. Brett Wisely also doubled in the inning.
Valdez (5-4) was pulled at inning’s end, charged with five runs on eight hits. He walked one and struck out one.
Webb (6-5) took a 5-1 lead into the sixth before Yordan Alvarez cut the Houston deficit in half with a two-run home run, his 14th of the season. It also scored Alex Bregman, who had singled.
Webb finished the inning and then was pulled from the game, having allowed three runs and seven hits in six innings. He struck out five without issuing a walk.
The San Francisco bullpen took care of things from there, with Ryan Walker, Tyler Rogers and closer Camilo Doval each throwing a shutout inning. Doval was credited with his 12th save after retiring the side in order in the ninth.
Wisely and Jorge Soler had two hits apiece for the Giants, with Soler also working two walks in his four plate appearances. Mike Yastrzemski scored twice for San Francisco, which won for the fifth time in its last seven games.
The Giants prevailed in the series 2-1 despite hitting just one home run — by Wisely in Tuesday’s loss — in the three games.
Alvarez and Bregman had two hits apiece for the Astros, who have lost three of four. Alvarez scored two of Houston’s three runs.
–Field Level Media