Astros 6, Giants 3
SAN FRANCISCO -- After two losses, including being on the wrong end of a perfect game, J.D. Martinez's fourth-inning grand slam lifted the Houston Astros to a 6-3 win over the San Francisco Giants on Thursday afternoon.
Wandy Rodriguez (6-4) had a quality start for the Astros, pitching six innings, allowing six hits and three runs, walked two and struck out three for the win.
Matt Downs, a one-time Giant who was drafted by San Francisco in 2006, also homered, and Justin Maxwell had an RBI single in the eighth for insurance.
Barry Zito (5-4) surrendered five runs on five hits in five innings and has lost three of his last five starts. Brandon Belt hit a two-run homer for the Giants, and has homered in each of the three games in this series.
There was no suspense that history would be made a little more than 12 hours after Matt Cain's perfect game, the first for the Giants franchise. Jose Altuve singled to left on the second pitch of the game.
In the fourth inning, Zito walked the bases loaded with one out, issuing three straight walks to Altuve, Brian Bixler, and Jed Lowrie. On an 0-1 count with the bases full and no margin for error, Zito threw an 84 mph fastball that Martinez launched to the bleachers in left field.
For the Giants, catcher Hector Sanchez singled to left in the fourth, and he scored on a Belt home run into the body of water named for Giants Hall of Famer Willie McCovey. Although Sanchez later would hit a sacrifice fly in the sixth inning, Belt grounded into a double play ending a potential rally.
NOTES: Zito has lost his last two decisions and his career record is 150-128. He is one of 12 active pitchers with at least 150 victories. ... Belt's home run was the 61st "splash hit" into McCovey Cove atAT&T Park. ... The Giants are 1-26 when trailing after eight innings.... Astros first baseman Carlos Lee began a rehab assignment with Double-A Corpus Christi and will be the designated hitter. Lee has been on the disabled list since June 2 with a strained left hamstring.... It was the first career grand slam for Martinez. ... The Astros are 26-1 when leading after eight innings.
