SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Kevin Gausman singled twice and pitched five uneven innings in his first start following the birth of his daughter, and the San Francisco Giants beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 7-2 on Wednesday night
Buster Posey had two hits, including his 15th home run. LaMonte Wade Jr., Brandon Crawford and Alex Dickerson also homered for San Francisco.
The Giants won their fourth straight and are 73-41 overall, their second-best record through 114 games in the San Francisco era. The 1993 team that won 103 games overall was 76-38 through 114.
The 1993 team hit 168 home runs, 46 coming from home run king Barry Bonds. This year’s team has 174 with 48 games remaining.
“We definitely have taken a lot of good swings all year,” Crawford said. “Tonight was a matter of swinging at good pitches and putting good swings on the ball. We’re starting to get used to it.”
Ketel Marte singled twice for Arizona, which is 2-14 against the Giants this season. The Diamondbacks have dropped nine of 11 and became the first team in the majors with 80 losses.
Activated off the paternity list before the game, Gausman (11-5) wasn’t sharp and matched his season high of four walks but beat the Diamondbacks for the fourth time in four starts this season. The Giants ace had five strikeouts – three in the first inning – and allowed four hits and two runs, one of them earned.
“The first inning he came out, he was lightning,” Giants manager Gabe Kapler said. “As the game went on I don’t think he had the same level of control. I also think some of the travel, the fact that he just had a baby, we just need to remember that, that this is going to be a building process coming back.”
José Álvarez, Dominic Leone, Tony Watson and Jarlin García retired three batters apiece to complete the six-hitter.
Gausman was better at the plate. He pushed an RBI single up the middle past a drawn-in infield to give the Giants a 2-1 lead in the second.
“Anything I do at the plate is kind of a bonus,” Gausman said. “Being able to contribute every once in a while is nice. I’m just trying to make contact and not look stupid.”
Gausman also singled in the fourth before Wade’s two-run home run that glanced off the glove of a leaping Marte in center field and went over the wall. Marte stared at his glove in disbelief, then motioned as if he might throw it against the wall.
“The ball was flying out of this ballpark today in certain areas,” Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said. “(Marte) did enough to put his glove on it but couldn’t finalize the play. That ball gets caught sometimes.”
Posey homered off Merrill Kelly (7-9) in the third. The 15 home runs are Posey’s most since 2015 when he hit 19.
Crawford added his 19th, an opposite-field shot off Brett de Geus in the seventh.
Dickerson entered as a pinch-hitter in the eighth and homered into McCovey Cove.
ROSTER MOVES
Diamondbacks: RHP J.B. Wendelken was claimed off waivers from the Athletics but not added the active roster. Wendelken, who was designated for assignment by the A’s on Tuesday, went 2-1 with 26 strikeouts in 26 appearances for Oakland.
Giants: INF Thairo Estrada was recalled from Triple-A Sacramento.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Diamondbacks: OF Kole Calhoun strained his left hamstring sliding headfirst into third base and was taken out of the game. Calhoun, who missed more than months this season with a similar injury, will be examined by the Arizona medical staff Thursday. “He just felt some discomfort in that area,” Lovullo said. “We’ll keep our fingers crossed.” … RHP Seth Frankoff (right forearm strain) was reinstated from the 60-day Injured List and optioned to Triple-A Reno.
Giants: RHP Johnny Cueto was placed on the 10-day IL with a right flexor strain. Kapler is hopeful that Cueto will only have to miss one start.
UP NEXT
Diamondbacks: RHP Taylor Widener (1-1, 4.89 ERA) faces the Padres and Yu Darvish (7-6, 3.43) in Arizona on Thursday. Widener is 1-0 in two starts against San Diego this season.
Giants: RHP Logan Webb (5-3, 3.19) starts against the Rockies on Thursday. Webb has won his last four decisions since losing in Colorado on May 5.
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