Vosler, Ruf spark Giants’ offense in 9-3 win over Nationals
By GIDEON RUBIN
Associated Press
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Jason Vosler homered and Darin Ruf had three hits for the San Francisco Giants, who were missing several players with COVID-19 but still beat the Washington Nationals 9-3 on Saturday.
Giants starter Logan Webb (3-1) gave up a career-high 11 hits in six innings in which he struck out three, walked one and allowed three runs.
“He’s not at his best right now, I think he’ll tell you that, but even when he’s not at his best, he has to have that sort of killer instinct, that attack mentality,” Giants manager Gabe Kapler said of his staff’s ace. “Still, a fine outing for Webby.”
The Giants snapped a two-game skid with their sixth win in eight games.
“They had a really good approach,” Webb said of the Nationals. “They were swinging early, it seemed like, and then when I did get into counts that were two-strike counts they really weren’t chasing at all. … Props to those guys for doing that. I feel like you don’t see that very often anymore … especially a lineup like that that has guys that can hit balls 500 feet.”
Vosler, who hadn’t gone deep this season going into the series, homered for a second straight day leading off the sixth. It sparked a five-run inning that gave San Francisco an 8-3 lead.
The Giants broke a 2-2 tie in the bottom of the fifth when pinch-hitter Mauricio Dubon’s two-out RBI single highlighted a two-run inning.
Nationals starter Joan Adon (1-4) gave up four runs in four-plus innings of four-hit ball. He struck out five and walked three as the Nationals lost for the ninth time in 10 games.
“His fastball was all over the place today,” Nationals manager Dave Martinez said. “He couldn’t really get ahead and then the pitch count just blew up on him. But we’re going to keep working with him. He’s got good stuff.”
Washington scored first in the top of the third with Alcides Escobar’s RBI double.
The Giants tied it up in the third on Thairo Estrada’s two-out, two-run double. Estrada also drove in a run in fifth on a fielder’s choice grounder. He leads the team with 14 RBIs.
Washington committed three errors.
“We’ve got to clean that up, we really do,” Martinez said. “You can’t give good teams 28, 29, 30 outs. It just can’t happen.”
RED-HOT ROBLES
Robles was 2 for 3 with a walk and two RBIs on Saturday. Add that to his four hits Friday, and he’s 6 for 9 with four RBIs in the series.
“We worked with him in spring training and it’s starting to click for him, so that’s kind of nice to see the results for him,” Martinez said.
DARIN’S DEFENSE
Ruf made a game-ending diving catch in left field on a ball in the gap, robbing Escobar of extra bases. Ruf, who started the game at first, also made a great play in the fourth, when his over-the-head leaping catch kept Maikel Franco from a hit.
TRADE
The Giants acquired infielder Mike Ford from the Seattle Mariners for cash considerations and activated the 29-year-old for Saturday’s game. The Giants sent OF Ka’ai Tom back to Triple-A Sacramento a day after he was selected to join the team.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Giants: CF Austin Slater left Saturday’s game at the start of the sixth inning with a right knee contusion as a result of crashing into the wall on Friday, Kapler said. … OF Joc Pederson remains day-to-day with a Grade 1 adductor strain. … OF Mike Yastrzemski (COVID-19) flew back to the Bay Area and is awaiting test results, but it is not yet known when he’ll be eligible to return, manager Gabe Kapler said. Yastrzemski is among four Giants players on the COVID-19 list along with 1B Brandon Belt and relievers Dominic Leone and Zack Littrell. … 3B Evan Longoria (right hand surgery) and 2B Tommy La Stella (right Achilles inflammation) ran the bases Saturday and both could start rehab assignments next week.
UP NEXT
Nationals RHP Josiah Gray 2-2 (4.05 ERA) is scheduled to face San Francisco in Sunday’s series finale. Gray matched a career-high with 10 strikeouts in his most recent start Tuesday against Miami. RHP Alex Cobb (1-0, 4.82) will make his first start for the Giants since going on the injured list April 19 (right abductor strain).
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