Game winner:

All of a sudden, A’s leadoff hitter Nick Martini’s road trip got a lot better.

Mark Melancon is pitching more often and more effectively, and manager Bruce Bochy said he sees the right-hander becoming a full-time closer again.

“I do,” Bochy said. “I think Mark’s getting a lot stronger with how he’s being able to bounce back and go back-toback days. He’s got a lot of confidence with where his arm’s at now. Sometimes you have to get over that part of it when you have an arm injury. It looks like he’s over that now. He’s letting it go. I like where he’s at with his stuff.”

Melancon had pronator surgery last fall, got a stem-cell injection in April and didn’t make his 2018 debut until June 3. He appeared in each of the three games against the Rangers, earning saves Saturday and Sunday — the first time he appeared three straight days and earned saves in back-to-back days since his surgery.

Winding down the second year in his four-year, $62 million contract, Melancon has a 2.83 ERA but isn’t about to regain his closer’s role. Bochy said it still belongs to Will Smith, though Melancon could get an opportunity here and there.

In the Giants’ past five wins, three relievers have earned saves: Smith, Melancon and Hunter Strickland. Bochy said he wouldn’t be afraid to use Sam Dyson, Reyes Moronta or Tony Watson in the ninth inning as well.

“We’re going to try to break the record,” Bochy quipped. “I don’t know what it is. As soon as y’all look it up, let me know, and we’ll go for it.”

Well, the record for most pitchers on one team to earn saves is 12 by the 1973 Rangers, five years after the save became an official stat. The Giants are halfway there. In fact, this is the third straight year they’ve had six relievers earning saves.

Their team record is nine, reached in both 1986 and 1987. Briefly: Bochy communicated with Buster Posey via a text a day after the catcher’s surgery and said “He’s doing great. He’s coming along just fine.” Posey, who had a torn labrum repaired and bone spurs removed from his hip, is due to return from Colorado on Thursday to begin his rehab . ... Jeff Samardzija (shoulder inflammation) will get a second opinion Wednesday with orthopedic surgeon Dr. Tim McAdams at Stanford. John Shea is The San Francisco Chronicle’s national baseball writer.