SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Spencer Strider became the major leagues' first 15-game winner, pitching three-hit ball over seven inning in leading the the Atlanta Braves over the slumping San Francisco Giants 5-1 on Friday night.
Michael Harris II had three hits and drove in three runs, helping the major league-best Braves (83-44) to their eighth win in 10 games.
San Francisco has lost 13 of 18 and is one game behind the Chicago Cubs for the NL's final wild card berth.
Seven days after beating San Francisco with one-hit ball over seven innings, Strider (15-4) was dominant again while out-dueling Logan Webb (9-10) in a match-up of NL Cy Young Award contenders. Strider struck out nine to increase his big league-high total to 236. He extended a shutout streak to 20 innings before Joc Pederson tripled in the seventh and scored on J.D. Davis’ groundout.
Strider also made a strong defensive play after jamming Paul DeJong with a pitch his weakly toward first. Strider raced over and picked up the ball in front of first baseman Matt Olson then beat DeJong to the bag for the out.
Joe Jiménez and Raisel Iglesias retired three batters each to complete the six-hitter.
Webb had never lost to the Braves in five previous career starts and was coming off a no-decision in Atlanta last week. He allowed five runs and six hits in 5 1/3 innings and had a 7.15 ERA over the two starts against the Braves.
Harris hit his 12th homer of the season in the first and had a two-run single in the sixth. Matt Olson doubled in a run in the fourth and added a sacrifice fly off Alex Wood in the sixth.
WEB GEM
Braves All-Star RG Ronald Acuña Jr. ran deep into Triples Alley in the third inning and made a one-handed grab of Thairo Estrada’s fly to stranded two runners.
TRAINER’S ROOM Braves: All-Star 2B Ozzie Albies has rejoined the team and is working out while rehabbing from a hamstring injury. Manager Brian Snitker is hopeful of getting Albies back at some point on the trip. … LHP Dylan Lee (shoulder inflammation) is scheduled to throw batting practice Saturday.
Giants: OF Michael Conforto went on the 10-day injured list with a left hamstring strain. OF Heliot Ramos was recalled from Triple-A Sacramento … INF Johan Camargo cleared waivers and was assigned outright to Sacramento.
UP NEXT
Atlanta LHP Max Fried (4-1, 2.83 ERA) starts Saturday and is unbeaten on three previous starts against San Francisco..
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