Field Level Media
Sep 2, 2021
Darin Ruf broke an eighth-inning tie with a double after video review overturned what would have been the third out and Thairo Estrada followed with a three-run home run as the San Francisco Giants salvaged one win in their four-game series against the visiting Milwaukee Brewers with a 5-1 victory on Thursday afternoon.
The win snapped a four-game losing streak and allowed the Giants (85-49) to regain a tie for first place in the National League West with the idle Los Angeles Dodgers (85-49) on the eve of their showdown three-game series that begins Friday night in San Francisco.
The Brewers (82-53), runaway leaders in the NL Central but third behind the Giants and Dodgers in the race for the league's top overall record, had a four-game winning streak come to an end.
A pitchers' duel between Giants right-hander Logan Webb and Brewers lefty Eric Lauer eventually was decided by the bullpens, coupled with a pair of late calls to New York.
Brewers reliever Devin Williams (7-2) retired the first two batters he faced in the eighth in a 1-1 tie before walking Kris Bryant.
It appeared the Brewers had thrown out Bryant at second base on a steal attempt with Brandon Belt at the plate, but the Giants challenged the call and word came from across the country that Bryant was indeed safe.
Belt walked one pitch later, and Ruf then smacked a Williams change-up to left field, scoring the tie-breaking run.
Estrada then broke the game wide-open with his fourth homer of the season.
Tyler Rogers (5-1), who struck out all three batters he faced in the top of the eighth, was credited with the win.
Giants closer Jake McGee pitched a scoreless ninth, but only after another video review went in the home team's favor, overturning an apparent Willy Adames two-out, two-run homer and deeming it a foul ball in the right-field corner.
The Giants gave Webb the only run of support he would get on Lauer's first pitch of the game, which Austin Slater bombed into the center-field seats for his 10th home run of the season.
Unbeaten in his career against San Francisco, Lauer pitched brilliantly after that, allowing just two more hits in a season-best seven innings, during which he walked one and struck out four.
The Brewers drew even in the fourth when Luis Urias doubled with one out and scored three batters later on a Jace Peterson single.
Webb went on to pitch seven innings, giving up just four hits. He walked one and struck out 10 while extending his unbeaten string to 14 games.
Slater finished with a homer and a single as the game's only multi-hit player. Each team totaled five hits.
--Field Level Media