Luis Matos delivered the decisive blow with a three-run homer, and the San Francisco Giants held off the Miami Marlins 4-2 on Sunday to secure a series victory at Oracle Park.
After Wilmer Flores opened the scoring with an RBI groundout in the second inning, Matos broke things open in the third. The young outfielder turned on a 2-0 changeup from Marlins left-hander Ryan Weathers and launched it 390 feet to left-center for a three-run home run, giving San Francisco a 4-0 lead.
It would be all the offense the Giants needed — and all they got. San Francisco was held scoreless for the remainder of the game, marking the 14th consecutive contest in which they’ve failed to score more than four runs. Still, that early burst was enough thanks to another strong outing from rookie right-hander Hayden Birdsong.
Making just his second start since joining the Giants’ rotation, Birdsong (3-1) pitched into the sixth inning, allowing five hits and one earned run while striking out five. He held Miami to just two hits through the first five frames — both doubles from Xavier Edwards — before the Marlins began to chip away in the sixth.
Miami broke through with three straight hits to open the inning, including an RBI single from Otto Lopez to cut the lead to 4-1. Edwards continued his scorching return from injury, finishing 5-for-5 to set a Marlins franchise record for hits in a single game. His infield single in the seventh scored Eric Wagaman and brought the Marlins within two. That’s as close as they’d get.
Camilo Doval stepped in for his second four-out save of the series and came through again. After inheriting a two-on, two-out jam in the eighth, Doval walked pinch-hitter Dane Myers to load the bases but rebounded by striking out Javier Sanoja to end the threat. He then closed the door in the ninth to earn his seventh save of the season.
San Francisco’s pitching staff held Miami to just three total runs over the three-game set — a testament to both the rotation and bullpen depth.
Heliot Ramos tallied two singles, a stolen base, and scored on Matos’ home run. Weathers (1-1) took the loss despite striking out a season-high seven batters and pitching six innings. He allowed five hits and four runs while issuing four walks.
The Giants have now scored four runs or fewer in 14 straight games but have managed to stay competitive thanks to a pitching staff that surrendered just three runs across this entire series.
The Giants return home to open a four-game series against the San Diego Padres on Monday. Ace Logan Webb (5-5, 2.82 ERA) will be on the mound for San Francisco.
The Marlins head to Denver to begin a three-game set against the Colorado Rockies. Right-hander Max Meyer (3-4, 4.53 ERA) gets the nod in the opener.
