© Stan Szeto-USA TODAY Sports
SAN FRANCISCO – What’s the best way to finish a tough week? Ask Derek “Lastname” Holland, who pulled a racially-insensitive stunt on MLB Network Thursday before apologizing to media. But on Sunday, Holland led the Giants to a 3-1 win over the Texas Rangers.
For six innings Holland allowed just one hit, a double, which scored a run in the third inning. While he walked three batters, no Ranger hitter was able to pick up another hit off “Lastname” – Holland’s nickname for player’s weekend and ode to an ESPN graphic error – until the seventh inning.
Holland allowed a pair of leadoff singles in the seventh before wheeling to first and catching Carlos Tucci out on a sacrifice bunt. His day was over after that, but he finished with one earned runs and three hits in 6 1/3 innings of work.
He does, however, have Tony Watson to thank for keeping his win intact and his ERA from spiking. Watson came in to strike out a pinch-hitting Robinson Chirinos before Rougned Odor tried to lay down a bunt for a hit and RBI. Watson scooped the bunt up and whipped the ball to first to end the inning with the 3-1 Giants lead intact.
The scoring started in the first inning like it has for the whole series, thanks to a passed ball that scored Evan Longoria after he hit a two-out triple into the alley. Over the last three games, the Giants have tacked on nine runs in the first inning alone. Just over a week ago, the Giants managed just seven runs over four games, from the last two against the Los Angeles Dodgers and first two against the Cincinnati Reds.
The Giants jumped back on the board in the fourth thanks to the second triple of the game. This time, it came off the bat of rookie center fielder Steven Duggar, who split the seam in right-center field to score Hunter “Underpants” pence and Nick Hundley.
The scoring ended there thanks to a tremendous bullpen performance on both sides. Duggar’s two-run triple in the fourth was the last Giants hit in the game, as the Rangers retired 11-straight batters from the fifth inning through the eighth.
After Holland’s start and Watson’s clutch pair of outs, Reyes Moronta picked up a shutout eighth inning to give Mark Melancon a save opportunity in the ninth. Melancon allowed a pinch-hit single to Shin-Soo Choo, but finished the rest of the inning unharmed to secure the win and his second consecutive save to improve the Giants to 65-67.