Strider strikes out 10 in 7 innings, Braves beat Giants 4-0 for 3rd straight shutout

By GEORGE HENRY
AP Sports Writer

ATLANTA (AP) — Spencer Strider struck out 10 and allowed one hit in seven innings, three relievers finished and the Atlanta Braves beat the San Francisco Giants 4-0 on Friday night for their third straight shutout.

It marked the first time since the final three games of 2015 against St. Louis that the Braves blanked an opponent in three straight games. Atlanta has five shutouts in its last eight games.

“The pitching has been really good this year,” Strider said. “A lot of people have been critical of it recently, but if you play 162 games, I think you’re going to see a little bit of everything. We were due for a little bit of a lull, but everybody’s right back where they’ve been all year.”

Matt Olson, Eddie Rosario, Austin Riley and Michael Harris II each drove in a run as the major league-leading Braves improved to 79-42. Harris, last season’s NL Rookie of the Year, went 4 for 5 with a double and a triple, raising his average eight points to .291.

“It feels good to be able to help the team in any way,” Harris said. “There’s times that you go through stretches that aren’t in your favor, but that’s baseball. You’ve got to push through it and fight, but it feels good, I guess, when you’re producing runs and getting on base for your teammates.”

Strider (14-4), a first-time All-Star and last season’s Rookie of the Year runner-up, broke a tie with three other starters to take the major league lead in victories. He was coming off a 6-0 victory in which gave up three hits in seven innings at the New York Mets last Saturday.

Strider also added to his MLB-leading strikeout total of 227, which is 40 more than the second-place Kevin Gausman of Toronto. Routinely touching 98 and 99 mph with his four-seam fastball, Strider retired his first nine batters with six strikeouts before walking LaMonte Wade Jr. to begin the fourth. Wilmer Flores got the first hit with a single two batters later.

It was the 16th double-digit strikeout performance of his career and 10th this season.

San Francisco, which managed just two hits after going 5 for 44 with runners in scoring position during a six-game homestand that ended Wednesday, began the night 1 1/2 games up for an NL wild-card but it has won just 10 of 27. The Giants have dropped 11 of 12 on the road and were held to one run or fewer for the 28th time this season, third-most in the majors.

Alex Cobb (6-5) began the game 2-0 with a 1.29 ERA in three career starts against the Braves before he allowed four runs and eight hits in 5 2/3 innings. Cobb has a 7.59 ERA in four starts this month.

Harris’ single made it 4-0 in the sixth. The Braves went up 3-0 in the second when Harris tripled with two outs and scored on Riley’s double. Atlanta took a 2-0 lead in the first on Olson’s fielder’s choice grounder and Rosario’s single.

Braves relievers Joe Jiménez, A.J. Minter and closer Raisel Iglesias, pitching in a non-save situation, limited San Francisco to two baserunners. Iglesias faced the minimum in the ninth.

“The bullpen has been really good,” Atlanta manager Brian Snitker said. “We had a rough stretch with the rotation now a little over a week ago for a period, but it’s just one of those where you work through it and kind of stay the course. If you can handle it, good things are on the other end, and now we’re kind of seeing that.”

Braves designated hitter Marcell Ozuna singled in the first to extend his hitting streak to 15 games.

QUICK CHANGE

Atlanta RF Ronald Acuña Jr. had to switch gloves before the top of the ninth. Umpires convened on the infield and then first base umpire D.J. Reyburn spoke with Snitker before Acuña had to change his glove.

“They said he had some sticky stuff on the back of his glove,” Snitker said. “He noticed it and touched it and noticed it was sticky, but it wasn’t doing anything to the ball, so he had to replace the glove.”

SITTING IT OUT

San Francisco manager Gabe Kapler missed the game to serve a one-game suspension for returning to the dugout area after he was ejected in Tuesday in a home victory over Tampa Bay. Bench coach Kai Correa and pitching coach Andrew Bailey combined to serve as interim manager.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Giants: INF Mark Mathias had his assignment to the minors reversed and was placed on the major league 10-day injured list because of a strained right shoulder. Mathias told the team he was hurting when he reported to Triple-A.

Braves: 2B Ozzie Albies, sidelined the last three games by a a strained left hamstring, did some running on the field before the game. “Hopefully, making progress, that’s the big thing,” Snitker said. “I know he’s going to be very diligent in his treatments and all that.”

UP NEXT

Giants RHP Logan Webb (9-9, 3.26 ERA) was set to face RHP Yonny Chirinos (5-5, 5.22) on Saturday.

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