CHICAGO — The Giants have yet to get Justin Verlander a win. When Robbie Ray takes the mound, all they can do is win.
Ray pitched six innings of one-run ball and closer Ryan Walker bounced back from Tuesday night’s costly outing to record a save as the Giants (24-14) beat the Chicago Cubs, 3-1, to take two of three in the Windy City. San Francisco’s record when Ray starts improves to 8-0.
Following Ray’s departure from the ballgame, manager Bob Melvin stuck with his typical late inning formula: Camilo Doval for the seventh, Tyler Rogers for the eighth and Walker — who couldn’t hold last night’s two-run lead — for the ninth.
Following Doval’s scoreless seventh and Rogers’ scoreless eight, Walker, once again, took the mound in the ninth inning with a two-run lead — the exact same circumstances he inherited last night. This time around, Walker shut the door.
Walker allowed a leadoff single to Carson Kelly but immediately followed up by inducing a double play. The right-hander then got Nico Hoerner to ground out, recording his seventh save of the season.
LaMonte Wade Jr., Christian Koss and Wilmer Flores, who tallied three hits, all drove in a run apiece for the Giants.
Ray has recorded a quality start in each of his last three outings, allowing three earned runs over 20 innings with 21 strikeouts to five walks. The left-hander now owns a 2.84 ERA over 44 1/3 innings this season.
Ray was far more efficient in the second half of his outing compared to the first half. The left-hander needed 65 pitches to complete his first three innings; in the third inning alone, Ray threw 33 pitches. To complete innings four, five and six, by contrast, Ray only needed 33 pitches.