Justin Verlander threw five scoreless innings to earn his first win this season and Rafael Devers hit a pair of home runs to help the visiting San Francisco Giants beat the Atlanta Braves 9-3 on Wednesday in the rubber game of their three-game series.
The Giants finished 5-1 against the Braves this season and completed a 2-4 road trip. The Braves went 2-4 on their homestand and dropped to a season-worst 13 games under .500.
Verlander, who signed with San Francisco as a free agent in the offseason, had made 16 starts without a win, the longest stretch in a single season by a starter in franchise history. After walking the bases loaded and struggling through a 40-pitch first inning, the 42-year-old right-hander settled down and became the oldest Giant starter to win a game since Randy Johnson won in 2009 at age 45.
Verlander (1-8) allowed his only hit to start fifth inning, walked five, hit a batter and struck out three. He earned his 263rd career win, four behind Bob Feller and Eppa Rixey who are tied for 34th on the all-time list.
Devers hit a solo home run in the fifth inning off Atlanta starter Spencer Strider and unloaded a 410-foot shot off reliever Dylan Dodd in the sixth, one pitch after being knocked down. He has 19 homers.
Devers went 3-for-5 with four RBIs and two runs scored. In the three-game series, Devers finished 7-for-14 with five runs scored, a double, two homers, five RBIs and a walk.
Matt Chapman added a two-run homer for the Giants, his 14th, when the Giants scored three times in the fifth inning. He was hit by a pitch on his elbow during his next plate appearance and left the game for a pinch hitter in the eighth.
The win was the 1,651st career victory for Giants manager Bob Melvin, moving past Mike Scioscia and into 20th place on the all-time list.
Strider (4-8) threw five innings and allowed three runs on five hits and three walks with seven strikeouts.
Atlanta gave right fielder Ronald Acuna Jr. the day off to rest his left knee.
–Field Level Media
