SAN FRANCISCO -- Alex Wood was The Stopper for the Giants last year, repeatedly putting an end to the mini-skids that popped up even en route to 107 wins. He nearly did a whole lot more than end a losing streak on Thursday at Oracle Park.
Wood took a no-hitter into the seventh and led the charge as the Giants beat the Cubs 4-2 to snap a seven-game losing streak to open the second half. The win was their first since July 17, which was the last time they played at home.
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The six no-hit innings marked the longest bid of Wood's long career and longest by a Giants pitcher this season. A single and a homer knocked him out of the game in the seventh, but Wood left to a well-earned standing ovation.
After a rough start to the second half, the bullpen closed it out, with Dom Leone, John Brebbia and Camilo Doval carrying the lead through the final out.
Flirting With History
Wood's night didn't get off to a hot start. He walked the first batter he faced and hit the second, but he got out of the first without allowing a run and retired 15 straight until walking Nelson Velasquez with one out in the sixth.
The only notable defensive play up to that point was a slick play on a short hop by third baseman David Villar, but Mike Yastrzemski truly saved a hit after the walk in the sixth.
Cubs leadoff hitter Christopher Morel hit a liner to right-center and Yastrzemski got a great jump, took a perfect route, and chased it down, robbing Morel of what looked like a double off the bat. Wood clapped his hands in appreciation and then got a grounder to end the inning.
Wood was at 79 pitches heading into the seventh, but his 81st pitch was hit into center by Ian Happ, ending the no-hit bid.
Good Wood
San Francisco Giants
Patrick Wisdom's two-run homer ended Wood's night in the seventh, but he walked off to a standing ovation after allowing just two hits. Wood made five starts in July and allowed five total earned runs in 27 1/3 innings. He dropped his ERA from 5.03 to 4.11 over the course of the month.
The Giants have a lot of decisions to make before Tuesday's MLB trade deadline, but if they hold Carlos Rodón and push for a playoff spot, it will be in large part because of the faith they have in their rotation. After an inconsistent start to the year, Wood has given them a solid No. 3 option.
Whatever Works, Right?
Even the Giants had to be impressed by how sloppy the Cubs were in the bottom of the third, and it led to three runs.
With one out, Yastrzemski hit a high pop-up that Wisdom, the third baseman, whiffed on for a two-base error. After an infield single on a slow roller down the line, it appeared that a wild pitch had given the Giants the lead. But Cubs manager David Ross challenged that his pitcher had actually hit Flores, an unusual move given that winning the challenge would mean putting Flores on base. It also meant taking the run off the board, and that's what happened when replay confirmed that Flores had been grazed.
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That loaded the bases with two outs for Yermin Mercedes, who saw 11 pitches -- fouling off six of them -- and lofted a shallow fly ball into center. Velazquez got a poor jump and then let the ball drop instead of making a diving attempt and the Giants took a 2-0 lead. Thairo Estrada's infield single made it 3-0.