Heliot Ramos drives in all the Giants runs in win over Rangers
ARLINGTON, Texas -- Heliot Ramos drove in all the runs for San Francisco and put the Giants ahead to stay with his two-run homer in a 3-1 victory over the Texas Rangers on Saturday.
The Giants, who won three World Series titles with Bruce Bochy from 2010-14, have taken the first two games for a series victory against their former manager, who came out of a three-year retirement and led Texas to its first championship last season.
After Austin Slater came back from an 0-2 count for a game-opening walk, Ramos drove him in with a double. The game was tied at 1 in the third when Slater hit a one-out single and Ramos followed with his sixth homer — and 17th hit in a span of 40 at-bats.
"Ended up being a good combination there for a while," Giants manager Bob Melvin said. "What do you say about Ramos? It's pretty incredible what he's doing, playing with a lot of confidence."
Slater played only his second game since missing 22 after a concussion, and he was in the leadoff spot against a left-handed starter.
"When you do it well, it can really boost the energy in the dugout," Slater said. "It's just to get on base. And if (Ramos) keeps this up, I'll be getting a lot more fastballs."
Erik Miller (1-2) worked a scoreless inning with two strikeouts after relieving Giants starter and former Texas right-hander Spencer Howard with two outs in the fifth. Camilo Doval worked around two runners in the ninth for his 11th save in 13 chances.
Texas starter Andrew Heaney (2-7) struck out five while allowing three runs over 5 2/3 innings.
"Slater had a good at-bat (to start the game), get 3-2 on Ramos ... just trying to throw a strike, not trying to walk the first two batters of the game," Heaney said. "I mean, one guy beat me today. And the guy in front of him ... kind of set the table for him."
Giants third baseman Matt Chapman singled in the sixth to extend his on-base streak to 25 games, the franchise's longest since Eduardo Núñez reached base in 33 consecutive games in 2017.
Jon Gray, just off the injured list, replaced Heaney with two on in the sixth and struck out Jorge Soler to get out of that jam before working two more scoreless innings. Gray had last pitched May 21 before being sidelined with a right groin strain, and likely will be starting again next week.
The Rangers (30-34) got their lone run in the first, when Marcus Semien drew a leadoff walk and scored on Nathaniel Lowe's sacrifice fly. It was the third time in five games that they scored only one run, and had two runs in another game.
"Not much to say, except that we're just not doing much offensively," Bochy said. "That's been the story for a while here."
TRAINER'S ROOM
Giants: RHP Alex Cobb threw off a mound in his rehab from offseason left hip surgery, with the catcher in front of the plate Friday. "I don't know if that counts. He was on a mound, but hopefully next week he actually throws a real bullpen," Melvin said.
Rangers: SS Corey Seager (left hamstring tightness) did some agility work in the outfield before the game but was out of the lineup for the second game in a row. Bochy said the World Series MVP is getting better but that it wasn't worth the risk to have him hit in the ninth with two runners on. ... RHP Gerson Garabito was optioned to Triple-A Round Rock to make room on the active roster for Gray.
UP NEXT
Giants RHP Keaton Winn (3-6, 6.17 ERA) is expected to come off the injured list to start Sunday in his first appearance since May 14. He had been sidelined by a right forearm strain. Rangers RHP Nathan Eovaldi (2-2, 2.70 ERA) is set to make his third start since missing 3 1/2 weeks with a right groin strain.
