Webb halts personal 4-game skid, pitches Giants past Mets

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — 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.

New York 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, 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 lefty David Peterson (1-3) for seven runs in five innings.

San Francisco also had a good day on the bases and in the field. Leadoff hitter Thairo Estrada legged an infield single to ignite a first-inning rally. In the second, he stole second after a single and scored the club’s sixth run by dashing home from third ahead of Pete Alonso’s throw on a Michael Conforto groundball.

Rookie third baseman David Villar robbed Starling Marte of extra bases with a tough stop during Webb’s nine-pitch first inning, and catcher Joey Bart threw out two baserunners.

“I think that’s the best overall game we’ve played in general,” Webb said. “That’s just the brand of baseball we’re trying to play. I know it’s been tough lately, but you know we’re capable of that.”

Webb had allowed five homers in his first 23 2/3 innings this season after surrendering 11 in 192 1/3 innings in 2022. Webb allowed his sixth homer of the year, to Brandon Nimmo in the third inning, for one of the two runs he allowed.

“Webb pitched well today,” Nimmo said. “He made that mistake with the slider in the middle of the plate to me but he did a really good job. Even when we made really hard contact, it was on the ground and he had fielders there.”

After Estrada’s infield hit to start the first, Conforto hit a one-out single and David Villar a sacrifice fly — on a diving catch by Nimmo. With two outs, Crawford skied a 3-2 hanging slider from Peterson that cleared the right-field seats and bounced into McCovey Cove on a hop.

Crawford, who sat Friday night with a sore hip, snapped an 0-for-14 slide with his drive into the right-field seats.

Crawford had been hitless in his previous 14 at-bats and sat Friday with bruised ribs sustained when he dived for a ball a day earlier. He said a swing adjustment had more to do with his comfort at the plate Saturday than the one-game rest.

The Giants scored twice in the second for a 6-1 lead after Heliot Ramos’ leadoff double. Darin Ruf hit a run-scoring single before the play in which Estrada beat Alonso’s throw home.

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. ... 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). ___

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports