MIAMI -- After scoring five runs while getting swept by the Tigers, the San Francisco Giants got a couple of crucial runs in the early going Friday night.
The Giants' pitching led them the rest of the way.
Kyle Harrison, making his second start after coming out of the 'pen, pitched five innings of one-hit ball to help the Giants snap their three-game losing streak with a 2-0 win over the Marlins at loanDepot park on Friday.
“His last couple of starts at Triple-A were great,” manager Bob Melvin said. “He has been really good, whether it is in the bullpen or starting for us.”
Harrison (1-1) took the loss in his first start (last Saturday) against the Nationals after he allowed two runs in four innings.
Friday, however, the Giants had a 2-0 lead by the fourth. That was enough. The Marlins only threatened a handful of times.
“I feel great, just trying to go out there and do what I need for these guys,” said Harrison, who joined the rotation due to an injury to Justin Verlander, who was placed on the 15-day injured list with right pectoral soreness. “I will be ready for the next one.’’
Even though Harrison started six games at Triple-A Sacramento earlier this season, the Giants have been building up his pitch count.
In the loss to Washington, he was pulled after 57; on Friday, he left after 80.
“I felt a little fatigued,’’ Harrison said, “but I think part of that was the humidity being a California kid and not being used to that. But I felt great coming out of the game, felt like I was where I needed to be.’’
Miami’s Eric Wagaman led off the fourth with a single to right, the only hit Harrison allowed and one of just three for the Marlins off seven San Francisco pitchers.
Harrison did walk two batters at the bottom of Miami’s lineup in the third but got out of it.
“I felt great, but my command was a little iffy in that third inning,” Harrison said. “But I felt like I was able to lock it in and give these guys a chance.”
Harrison came out for the bottom of the first with a 1-0 lead. With one out, Heliot Ramos tripled down the right field line, his first of the season, then came home on a single from Wilmer Flores.
Matt Chapman led off the fourth with a solo shot over the Marlins’ bullpen in left field in what would be the game's final run for either team.
The Giants ended with 11 hits but went 2-for-12 with runners in scoring position, leaving 10 stranded.
“Much needed off-day [Thursday] for us to kind of regroup and reset,” said Tyler Fitzgerald, who had three hits. “We came in today and were hitting balls a lot harder. Still want to put up more than two runs, but we were a little unlucky there. Still, the at-bats were way better today than they were.”
Said Melvin: “We got a great pitching performance by several guys. Our at-bats were better, we got a bunch of hits today but just couldn’t get that big hit with runners in scoring position. … I know it only showed up as two runs, but the pitching covered it.’’
Although the Giants did not score a bunch of runs, after the Detroit sweep, they will take a win any way it comes.
“We needed it,’’ Harrison said. “Being swept was tough, but just like that, we’re right back in it.’’
Pitching was, obviously, the story here for the Giants, with Camilo Doval getting the final four outs of the game for his sixth save of the season. Doval, a native of the Dominican Republic who recently regained the closer role, was pitching in front of his mother for the first time as a professional.
“It has been keeping us alive the whole season,’’ Fitzgerald said of the Giants’ pitching staff. “You have to feel like if we put up three, four, five runs, we have a chance every game. Hopefully, we can start scoring a little more to help them out.’’