SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Thairo Estrada homered with one out in the sixth to break up a scoreless game, Wilmer Flores hit a two-run drive three batters later, and the San Francisco Giants came alive on offense to beat the Tampa Bay Rays 7-0 on Tuesday night.
Jakob Junis struck out seven over four scoreless innings then gave way to Sean Manaea (4-3), who struck out five and allowed one hit over 3 1/3 scoreless innings for the win.
A day after the Giants surrendered a season-high 18 hits — also the Rays' most this season — they showed energy and enthusiasm for 27 outs to win for just the third time in 10 games. San Francisco added two more runs in the seventh on catcher René Pinto's wild pickoff attempt throw that sailed over third baseman Isaac Paredes.
Joc Pederson made a hard slide into home on Michael Conforto's double in the eighth and Pederson looked up at Whitson and said “safe” as the umpire made the safe call. The play went to replay review and was confirmed.
Manager Gabe Kapler had to watch all the action from his office. He was ejected in the fourth by plate umpire Chad Whitson for arguing a called strike on a high pitch to the outside corner against Wade Meckler in his second big league game after being called up Monday.
It was Kapler's second ejection this season and seventh of his career. Meckler later delivered his first major league hit with a sharp single to center in the decisive sixth that chased Rays right-hander Zack Littell (2-4).
Littell, who pitched for the Giants the past two seasons, struck out five and didn't walk a batter over 5 2/3 innings.
Randy Arozarena went 0 for 4 with three strikeouts to have his eight-game hitting streak snapped for the Rays, who are 10-7 in their last 17 games after a majors-worst 5-15 streak from July 1-26.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Rays: OF Manuel Margot traveled back to Florida and will undergo a procedure to remove bone chips from his right elbow on Wednesday and is set to miss up to a month. Team orthopedist Dr. Koco Eaton will do the surgery. ... In more tough news for Tampa Bay, ace left-hander Shane McClanahan is scheduled to undergo Tommy John elbow surgery Monday. He was examined by Dr. Keith Meister on Tuesday and is expected to miss the entire 2024 season. The 26-year-old McClanahan went on the 60-day injured list retroactive to Aug. 3 with tightness in his pitching forearm and last pitched Aug. 2 on the road against the Yankees. “Tough loss, no doubt,” manager Kevin Cash said. ... The Rays recalled INF Jonathan Aranda from Triple-A Durham to fill the roster void.
Giants: Flores returned to the lineup at third base after he was a late scratch for Monday's 10-2 defeat with an ear infection and nausea. ... Kapler has been trying to give a full day off to J.D. Davis, who didn't start for a second straight game.
UP NEXT
RHP Aaron Civale (5-3, 2.61 ERA) pitches the series finale for the Rays in his third start since being acquired by Cleveland. The Giants hadn't named a starter.
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