Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
Gabe Kapler called it his “toughest decision” to include Wilmer Flores over Brandon Belt in the lineup.
It was his best, although there was some competition.
The much-complained-about manager pushed all the right buttons — or maybe it’s a touchscreen in these analytic days — in a 7-2 victory over the Angels at Oracle Park on Wednesday in front of 11,847 cutouts, San Francisco’s second straight after dropping five in a row. They’ll play one more against the Angels before a three-game home set with the Diamondbacks begins Friday.
Facing lefty Patrick Sandoval, Kapler opted for the righty Flores over Belt’s hot bat, which was quickly rewarded with Flores’ 381-foot, three-run shot in the third inning that gave the Giants (10-16) the early lead. It came with two strikes — just as Austin Slater’s did, a two-run dinger two innings later, the team’s approach down in the count continually paying off.
Flores’ homer was the Giants’ eighth three-run long ball this season, tied with the Dodgers and Phillies for the most three-run homers in the majors. Amid so many struggles, the offense, especially against lefties, has not been the problem.
Slater’s homer drove in Brandon Crawford, who had doubled in the frame and also walked earlier in the game. It was another nice night for the surging lefty hitter, who was inserted into the lineup against an opposing lefty over Mauricio Dubon, Kapler’s touch working again.
The offensive power and Johnny Cueto’s brilliance put pressure on Kapler’s bullpen management, which got the job done. Caleb Baragar got a big strikeout to escape a bases-loaded jam in the sixth then pitched a solid seventh. Tyler Rogers allowed a cheap hit to Anthony Rendon, but struck out Mike Trout and Albert Pujols in an impressive eighth, and Tony Watson shut the door for his first time this year, Trevor Gott now out of the role.
On a day in which too much smoke filled the air, Cueto was brilliant again, building both his value to the team and as a potential trade chip. With his changeup his best pitch, Cueto slow- and fast-pitched through 5 2/3 innings, striking out eight and allowing two runs on four hits with a walk.
The line was cleaner until the sixth, when Cueto ran into trouble (again) the third time through the opposing lineup. Tommy La Stella doubled to deep center with one out in the frame, Mike Yastrzemski catching up to it but not able to hold on before he hit the wall. Kapler had a chat with Cueto, who was at 100 pitches, before he faced Trout. He froze Trout on a 91-mph fastball at the top of the zone for the strikeout.
The move would only look good for one batter though, Rendon following with an RBI double. In came newly called-up Andrew Suarez, who couldn’t find the strike zone. He walked Shohei Ohtani and Jason Castro, sandwiched by surrendering an RBI single to Albert Pujols that narrowed the lead to 5-2. With the bases loaded, Baragar entered and struck out Justin Upton, pumping his fist on his way to the dugout.
Kapler had brought in a lefty to get out a righty, and another move worked on a day on which plenty worked.