SAN FRANCISCO — Turns out there’s a simple solution to a streaky, strikeout-prone offense: sensational pitching. That is the formula, at least, that worked for the San Francisco Giants on Tuesday night.
Before back-to-back home runs padded their lead in the bottom of the eighth, the Giants only had to cash in once behind starter Alex Wood and a lights-out effort from their bullpen to beat the Dodgers, 5-0, only their second win in their past 15 tries against their archrivals.
Left-hander Scott Alexander successfully walked the tight rope put in front of him in a pivotal sixth inning, escaping a bases-loaded jam with a soft dribbler and a strikeout, to back up 4 2/3 shutout innings from Wood, who struck out five and surrendered only one hit. With more solid relief work from Jakob Junis, Tyler Rogers, John Brebbia and Camilo Doval, the six Giants pitchers combined for their first shutout of the season.
