Webb stops skid, pitches Giants over Mets
SAN FRANCISCO -- Opening day starter Logan Webb stopped his four-game losing streak, holding the Mets hot offense to two runs in seven innings and leading the San Francisco Giants over New York 7-4 on Saturday.
Webb (1-4) struck out eight and walked one for his first win since signing a $90 million, five-year contract for 2024-28, a deal announced April 14.
San Francisco (7-13) avoided losing 14 of its first 20 games, which would match the worst opening in team history.
The Mets lost for the second time in nine games on their 10-game California trip.
The Giants, who were shut out Friday and have struggled to score all season, spotted Webb to a 4-0 lead in the first inning, when Brandon Crawford hit a three-run homer. Wilmer Flores also homered for San Francisco, which is batting just .205 against left-handers but reached Mets lefty David Peterson (1-3) for seven runs in five innings.
David Villar hit a sacrifice fly for the game's first run and Crawford hit his third homer on a two-strike, two-out slider up in the zone.
Crawford, who sat Friday night with a sore hip, snapped an 0-for-14 slide with his drive into the right-field seats.
The Giants scored twice in the second for a 6-1 lead after Heliot Ramos' leadoff double. Darin Ruf hit a run- scoring single and Thairo Estrada beat Pete Alonso's throw home on Michael Conforto's grounder to first. The Mets unsuccessfully challenged Chad Whitson's safe call at the plate, the second video review in the inning that went San Francisco's way.
Nimmo hit a solo homer in the third off Webb, matched by a Flores homer in the fifth that gave the Giants a 7-2 lead. The Mets added a run in the eighth off Scott Alexander on Starling Marte's RBI single.
Closer Camilo Doval allowed a run in the ninth in a nonsave situation.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Mets: Marte returned to the lineup after missing two games with a stiff neck that forced him out of Wednesday's game at Dodger Stadium. Manager Buck Showalter reported catcher Omar Narváez is making progress in his recovery from a left-calf strain, but the medical staff does not want to push the Mets newcomer lest he aggravate the calf, leading to a longer stint on the injured list. Narvaez has been on the IL since April 6.
Giants: The training and baseball staffs planned to confer Saturday on whether they might recall outfielders Austin Slater (left-hamstring strain) and Mitch Haniger (left-oblique strain) from their rehab starts at Triple-A Sacramento during the current homestand, which ends Thursday. The Giants ranked 25th in the majors in batting average and 29th in OPS against left-handed pitching through Friday. The club has resisted the urge to hurry them to the majors because neither had more than 10 at-bats in spring training before getting hurt. Haniger was the club's key offseason acquisition and Slater has been a reliable platoon player against lefties when healthy. Left-hand-hitting outfielder Joc Pederson (right wrist inflammation) was eligible to come off the IL Saturday but the club gave him an extra day because they were facing a lefty starter.
UP NEXT
The Giants will aim for a split of the four-game series Sunday behind right-hander Ross Stripling (0-1, 7.30 ERA), who had been pitching long relief but will rejoin the rotation in place of the injured Alex Wood. Stripling faces Tylor McGill (3-1, 3.00 ERA).