Rafael Devers hit another home run, another pitcher got injured early in his start, and the San Francisco Giants followed a winning — albeit painful — script Tuesday night to beat the visiting Cincinnati Reds 3-1.
One night after they built an early lead and lost starting pitcher Carson Whisenhunt to an elbow injury in the third inning, the Giants did it again in the second game of the three-game series. Only this time it was Adrian Houser who walked off the mound with his pitching elbow in pain two outs into the second inning.
Once again, the San Francisco bullpen pitched brilliantly in extended use, with Anthony Molina (1-0), Sam Hentges and Trent Harris combining for 6 1/3 innings of two-hit ball before the Reds got their lone run via a Sal Stewart homer off Carson Seymour in the ninth.
Seymour, who retired all three men he faced after Stewart’s home run, was credited with his first career save.
Molina, called up from the minors to take Whisenhunt’s spot on the roster, got the win in his Giants debut, blanking the Reds on one hit in 4 1/3 innings. He walked one and struck out one.
For the second night in a row, the Giants scored twice in the first inning. This time, it happened after they took advantage of Reds starter Brady Singer’s wildness to load the bases with no outs when Drew Gilbert and Jung Hoo Lee were hit by pitches, sandwiching a Devers walk.
Drew Cavanaugh’s first of three hits, a grounder into center field, delivered the two runs.
Devers’ 28th homer of the season came leading off the fifth inning to make it 3-0.
Singer (5-12) worked two outs into the sixth, charged with three runs on six hits. He walked two and struck out five.
The three-hit game — all singles — was the first of Cavanaugh’s career. He had totaled just 20 hits in his first 35 big-league contests.
Stewart’s homer was his 28th of the season but couldn’t prevent a fourth Reds loss in five days to start a nine-game trip.
The Giants out-hit the Reds 8-4.
