San Francisco Giants pull into tie for first with Dodgers
Amid their worst week of the season, the Giants turned to their best pitcher to salvage an otherwise miserable series against the Milwaukee Brewers.
Logan Webb was a savior after all.
With help from a four-run eighth-inning rally that featured an RBI double from Darin Ruf and a three-run home run from Thairo Estrada, Webb and the Giants clawed their way to a 5-1 win and snapped their losing streak at four games.
The victory pulled the Giants (85-49) into a tie for first place with the Dodgers (85-49) in the National League West and set up high-stakes three-game weekend series at Oracle Park a day after San Francisco fell into second place for the first time in more than three months.
“What a series to be tied and to be here in September when a lot of people probably didn’t think we’d be in this position,” Ruf said.
Webb matched his careerhigh with 10 strikeouts over seven dominant innings, but exited in line for a no-decision Thursday as the Giants only scored one run while the righthander was on the mound. The Giants needed a late offensive explosion and it came when the Brewers turned to right-hander Devin Williams, who posted a 0.00 ERA in 14 appearances en route to being named the National League’s Reliever of the Month in August.
Williams was on the mound when MLB announced the honor, but he struggled with his command on Thursday as he walked
Kris Bryant and Brandon Belt before giving up a two-out double into the left-field corner to Ruf, who had lined out with two outs and a runner in scoring position twice in the series.
“If I hung my hat every time I lined out or didn’t get the job done, I think I’d be doing a disservice to myself and the team,” Ruf said. “You just have to keep the same approach to swing at good pitches and try to hit them hard. Luckily today I pulled it a little more than the last couple.”
Estrada followed with his fourth home run in a Giants uniform as the second baseman stepped up in a big way in place of infielder Wilmer Flores, who was placed on the 10-day injured list Thursday with a left hamstring strain.
Estrada’s home run was the first Williams has given up to a right-handed hitter this season and only the second extrabase hit he’s allowed against a righty in 2021.
“He’s a tremendous pitcher,” Estrada said. “We’re baseball players and we’re competing, he wants to come out ahead and I want to come out ahead and I’m just glad I was able to contribute.”
Slater’s leadoff home run off Brewers starter Eric Lauer made him the 10th Giants player to hit at least 10 homers this season, which broke the previous franchise record of nine players in double figures set by the 2000, 1987, 1958 and 1952 clubs. The solo shot into the home bullpen beyond the left-center-field wall also marked the 200th home run hit by the Giants this season, making San Francisco the first club in the majors to clear that threshold.