Giants observations: Logan Webb, Brandon Crawford power win over Mets

What we learned as Webb, Crawford power Giants' win vs. Mets originally appeared on NBC Sports Bayarea

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SAN FRANCISCO -- Gabe Kapler spent much of his time after the Giants' loss Friday night talking about rehabbing right-handed-hitting outfielders Mitch Haniger and Austin Slater. When the two came up again Saturday morning, Kapler smiled and joked that he might as well start every media session with updates on the pair.

The two have been in the spotlight because of the lineup's issues against left-handed pitching, but on Saturday, the Giants finally got to one. They scored six early runs off struggling southpaw David Peterson and went on to beat the Mets 7-4, clinching just their second win over the last nine games.

Peterson was the eighth lefty to start against the Giants in the last 12 games. The lineup scored nine total runs against the first seven, but Brandon Crawford sparked a four-run rally in the first inning and the Giants scored two more in the second.

Here are three things to know about the win:

Needed It

Crawford was out for early defensive work Thursday when the Giants returned home, and he did the same thing Saturday morning. He has been disappointed by his early start with the glove, but the .151 average has been just as much of an issue.

The longest-tenured Giant started heading back in the right direction Saturday. He crushed a 3-2 slider from Peterson in the first, picking up his third homer of the year and coming a few feet from what would have been his fourth career Splash Hit.

The homer snapped an 0-for-14 slump for Crawford, who was temporarily dropped to the nine spot on the last road trip. The Giants haven't expressed much concern about Crawford, who has overcome slow starts before. Still, the swing had to bring a sigh of relief for a lot of coaches in the dugout.

Right At Home

In his first start at Oracle Park since signing a five-year extension, Logan Webb looked like the player who earned that life-altering deal. Webb allowed just two runs over seven innings in his best start of the year, striking out eight and getting nine outs on the ground.

The rotation is averaging only about five innings per start as a group, but Webb has been an early iron man. He's pitched at least six innings in four of his five starts and is third in the Majors in innings pitched. After an offseason spent searching for more swing-and-miss, Webb is tied for fifth in strikeouts.

Ain't Havin' It

This one was decided in part by a series of close plays on the bases, and all of them went the Giants' way, in large part because of a catcher who seems to finally be finding his stride.

After Brandon Nimmo's homer with one out in the third, Starling Marte kept the pressure on with a bunt single. He took off for second but Joey Bart cut him down with a strong throw. The Mets put two on with one out an inning later, but Bart threw Jeff McNeil out when he foolishly tried to advance to third on a ball in the dirt.

The Giants also got a run thanks to two close calls. Thairo Estrada was initially called out on a stolen base attempt in the second, but replay overturned the call. He slid in ahead of the throw home on a grounder to first later in the inning, a play the Mets unsuccessfully challenged.

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