Giants 8, Astros 1
HOUSTON -- Rookie right-hander Chris Heston pitched a two-hitter for his first career complete game and third baseman Matt Duffy had three hits and five RBI as the San Francisco Giants rolled past the Houston Astros 8-1 Tuesday.
Heston (3-3) gave up just one run and did not walk a batter while striking out 10 in earning his third win of the season. He retired the final 22 batters he faced after a solo home run by Astros catcher Jason Castro with two-out in the second and threw just 107 pitches.
His 46.1 innings and 39 strikeouts rank as the most among National League rookie pitchers.
The Astros (20-13) lost for the sixth time in eight games after a 10-game win streak.
Heston got all the run support he needed from Duffy, who had a three-run double in the second and a two-run single in the fifth two days after getting the game-winning hit in the ninth against the Miami Marlins.
It was the first time this season that the Giants (17-16) scored more than six runs in a game.
The standout performances from Heston and Duffy ended the Astros right-hander Collin McHugh's 11-game winning streak. McHugh had the longest active run in the major leagues but he surrendered seven runs, (four earned) on seven hits in 4 2/3 innings.
McHugh's streak dated back to Aug. 12, 2014 and covered 15 starts. He was one win shy of tying the franchise record, 12-game streaks set by right-handers Mark Portugal (1993) and Wade Miller (2002).
San Francisco jumped on McHugh, who had been all but untouchable in his first four decisions (all wins) with three runs in the second inning via a no-out, bases-loaded double by Duffy.
After Castro's home run, the Giants batted around and chased McHugh in the fifth with a five-run outburst after two Astros errors kept the inning alive. The first error, on a hard-hit grounder by catcher Buster Posey, was deflected but not corralled by third baseman Luis Valbuena and loaded the bases.
McHugh struck out first baseman Brandon Belt on a full count before right fielder Justin Maxwell slashed a grounder into the hole between third base and shortstop that was fielded by shortstop Marwin Gonzalez, who threw to second to try to get the force out. Second baseman Jose Altuve could not come up with the throw, which bounded into short right field to allow two runners to score.
Shortstop Brandon Crawford added a ground-rule double and Duffy singled in two runs, expanding the Giants' lead to 8-1.
NOTES: The Giants scored just 101 runs through their first 32 games, their fewest since 1985 when they had 93 during the same span. San Francisco is averaging 3.16 runs per game, next to last in the majors (Philadelphia has 94), and has scored six or fewer runs in every game. ... 1B Brandon Belt, a Texas resident, is 14-for-29 (.483) in his past eight games with six doubles, a triple, two RBIs and four walks. ... The Giants are hitting .196 (104-for-535) with two strikes, which leads the majors. ... The Astros lead the American League in stolen bases (36) and home runs (45). 2B Jose Altuve leads the league with 11 stolen bases. ... RHP Collin McHugh and LHP Dallas Keuchel have both begun the season 4-0, the fourth time in team history a starting duo began the season on four-game win streaks. ... After a 2-2 road trip that ended Sunday, the Astros own a 12-4 record away from Minute Maid Park, which ties the best road start through 16 games in franchise history (set in 2004).