SF Giants come up short against defending champion Astros in 7-3 loss

Despite a strong outing from pitcher Ross Stripling, the Giants’ bullpen crumbled against a strong Astros lineup led by Mauricio Dubón.

The SF Giants dropped the first game in their series against the Houston Astros on Monday night 7-3. Ross Stripling, in another opportunity to start this season, had a clean outing against the defending champion Astros and rising star Mauricio Dubón, a former Giant. But the Giants bullpen once again struggled against a formidable lineup.

LaMonte Wade Jr., who’s been increasingly reliable at the top of the order, singled to start off the game. But in the very next at bat against Thairo Estrada, the Astros’ starting pitcher Luis García appeared to tweak his arm and needed to come out. The Astros unexpectedly had to turn to a bullpen game plan, tapping relief pitcher Brandon Bielak to start. Despite allowing a walk, he struck out the side.

The Astros, though, came ready to score in the first. Their leadoff batter, familiar face Mauricio Dubón, singled to center field. He stole second on a strikeout pitch to Yordan Alvarez, and a Jose Abreu single drove him home. Kyle Tucker struck out swinging to end the inning, but the Astros were on the board with a run.

The Giants’ wouldn’t take too long to follow suit, though. In the third inning, with LaMonte Wade Jr. on first via a walk, Joc Pederson crushed a fastball for a home run to right field. His third homer of the season put the Giants up 2-1.

🎶Baby Joc them doors and turn the lights down low🎶 @yungjoc650 pic.twitter.com/PuWCaFT6Pz

— SFGiants (@SFGiants) May 2, 2023

The Astros would bring in reliever Phil Maton in the fifth inning, who pitched two hitless frames for them. Stripling similarly had a smooth outing against the Astros until the fifth. Pitching 1-2-3 second, third, and fourth innings, he came up against trouble in the fifth, allowing three hits in a row. The third and final hit from Dubón scored Jake Meyers, tying the game 2-2. Alex Bregman, who had a career .409 against the Giants coming into the game, hit a tricky ball to Villar for the final out.

The Astros attacked again in the seventh, scoring 5 runs. Sean Hjelle, who relieved Taylor Rogers in the sixth seamlessly, hit a huge snag against the Astros lineup. He gave up a walk to Meyers, and then a double, two singles, and an intentional walk, bringing the Astros lead to 6-2. Tristan Beck relieved Hjelle and got the final out, but not before giving up a single to Corey Julks, putting the Astros up 7-2.

In the eighth, the Astros called on relief pitcher Rafael Montero, who gave up a home run to leading off LaMonte Wade Jr., his third straight game with a home run, bringing the score to 7-3. But Montero then got three quick outs to end the inning. 

No. 6️⃣ of the year for LaMonte 🫡 pic.twitter.com/6x4oz1MHcI

— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) May 2, 2023

Tristan Beck pitched a 1-2-3 bottom of the eighth, and managed to strike out even Mauricio Dubón, who went 3-5 with two runs and two RBIs against his former team, showing them just what they'd given up. 

Ryan Pressly pitched the ninth for the Astros, allowing a single to J.D. Davis but otherwise putting the Giants away quietly. The Giants drop their fourth straight game, starting the series starts on a negative note as the Giants. They come back to Minute Maid Park for game two tomorrow at 5:10 PM Pacific.