SAN FRANCISCO — A day after his call-up, J.P. Martínez got in on the offensive onslaught with his first major league hit and a sacrifice fly as the Texas Rangers won another game in impressive fashion against manager Bruce Bochy’s former club.
Bochy kept the special souvenir baseball safe in his office to present Martínez.
“I’m so happy right now I can’t explain how I feel,” Martínez said, thrilled with his teammates’ support. “It was crazy, ‘congratulations, proud of you!’ It was amazing.”
Corey Seager homered and singled in a run, Mitch Garver had three RBIs, and the Rangers pounded the stumbling San Francisco Giants 9-3 on Saturday night.
Garver hit a go-ahead single in the Rangers’ three-run fourth as Texas began the inning with four straight base hits against Alex Cobb (6-4). That included the first career hit for Martínez. Ezequiel Durán added a sacrifice fly and Leody Taveras an RBI single in the inning.
Garver later added a two-run single. Durán also doubled and hit an RBI single as the AL West-leading Rangers (70-47) reached 70 wins faster than any team in franchise history - game No. 117.
PHOTOS: Bruce Bochy's Texas Rangers beat his former Giants again, 9-3
“The offense did a great job off a really tough pitcher,” Bochy said.
On Sunday they will try for a series sweep against a Giants team that hasn’t been swept at home all season.
Texas lefty Andrew Heaney saw the end to his career-best 15 2/3-inning scoreless streak and was done after 1 1/3 innings. Bochy said he hadn’t felt well in Oakland this past week and didn’t have a regular preparation schedule for the outing.
Facing a right-handed heavy Giants lineup, righty Grant Anderson (2-1) knew to stay ready and worked 2 2/3 innings of relief for the win.
“I just didn’t pitch well. I knew I had a short leash and it was a situation there early where Boch had to go to the bullpen,” said Heaney, riding a four-game winning streak since a July 8 loss at Washington. “I’m not happy about how it started.”
Michael Conforto homered in the fourth and Heliot Ramos connected for his first career homer in the ninth for the Giants, who lost for the sixth time in seven games after dropping the series opener Friday 2-1 in Bochy’s return as manager of Texas.
Seager homered in the first for the Rangers before the Giants tied it in the bottom half on an RBI single by Patrick Bailey.
Cobb’s winless stretch reached six straight starts during which he is 0-2 since beating Seattle at home July 5. He made the start after San Francisco used an opener in eight of the previous 14 games.
Seager stats
Seager’s 20 homers and 31 doubles in his first 74 games this season makes him just the second player since 1900 to reach 20 homers and 30 doubles through 74 games - along with Hall of Famer Joe Medwick for the 1937 Cardinals, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
1993 reunion
Home run king Barry Bonds was on hand as the Giants honored the 103-win 1993 club 30 years later - those Giants missed the playoffs in the final year without a wild card.
Bonds walked across the diamond toward the visiting dugout asking Bochy for a hug. Bonds broke Hank Aaron’s record in 2007 during Bochy’s first year managing the Giants.
Quick hello
Bochy made sure to take a few minutes with Giants shortstop Brandon Crawford by the batting cage during pregame warmups.
Trainer’s room
Rangers: C Jonah Heim took live batting practice for a second straight day as he recovers from a tendon strain in his left wrist and could be activated from the injured list as soon as Sunday. … RHP Nathan Eovaldi (strained forearm in pitching side) threw a bullpen session and likely will do at least one more.
Giants: OF Mike Yastrzemski (strained left hamstring) will do another day of strenuous baserunning Sunday and the Giants will determine next steps based on how quickly he bounces back. … RHP John Brebbia, who threw off the mound Friday to test his lat strain on his pitching arm, will throw another bullpen session or two then likely be ready for a rehab assignment.
Up next
RHP Dane Dunning (9-4, 3.21 ERA) makes his second start of this Bay Area week after taking a no-decision at Oakland on Monday.
RHP Logan Webb (9-9, 3.38) pitches the series finale for San Francisco. He played for Bochy in his rookie season of 2019.
“Logan, he’s just an elite pitcher, great stuff, great makeup,” Bochy said. “I think the world of that kid.”
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