GIANTS DEFEAT ASTROS
Late rally falls short as Astros drop opener to San Francisco
Mar 31, 2025, 10:30 pm
The Giants beat the Astros, 7-2. Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images.
Wilmer Flores hit his third homer of the season and drove in four runs to lead the San Francisco Giants over the Houston Astros 7-2 on Monday night.
Giants starter Jordan Hicks (1-0), who grew up in suburban Houston, allowed only a first-inning single and struck out six in six innings.
There were two on with two outs in the sixth when Flores sent a slider from Luis Contreras into the left-field seats to make it 5-0. The homer came after Flores hit an RBI single in the second to give San Francisco an early lead.
The Astros had managed just one hit and had a runner on second when Jose Altuve singled off Spencer Bivens with two outs in the eighth. Isaac Paredes then smacked a double off the wall in left field to score two runs and cut it to 5-2. Erik Miller took over and struck out Yordan Alvarez to end the inning.
Isaac off the wall!#TheNextFrontier pic.twitter.com/oxXINXHz2o
— Houston Astros (@astros) April 1, 2025
Ronel Blanco (0-1), who threw a no-hitter in his season debut last year, allowed three hits and three runs with three walks in five-plus innings.
LaMonte Wade Jr. had a sacrifice fly in the fifth that made it 2-0.
Christian Walker singled with two outs in the first before Hicks retired the next 14 batters, fanning five straight. Altuve walked with one out in the sixth, but Hicks set down the next two batters to end the inning and his night.
Matt Chapman drove in two runs with a single in the ninth that made it 7-2.
Key moment
The home run by Flores that padded the lead in the sixth.
Key stat
San Francisco’s Bob Melvin managed his 200th career game against the Astros, improving to 99-101 with the victory.
Up next
RHP Hayden Wesneski makes his Houston debut against RHP Logan Webb when the series continues Tuesday night. Wesneski joined the Astros this offseason from the Chicago Cubs as part of the trade for outfielder Kyle Tucker.
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Christian Walker homered in a three-run second, Ryan Gusto pitched well into the sixth and the Houston Astros beat the Toronto Blue Jays 3-1 on Wednesday night to sweep the three-game series.
CHRISTIAN SKYWALKER. #BuiltForThis pic.twitter.com/EZxbda3HT3
— Houston Astros (@astros) April 24, 2025
Walker led off the second with a home run to left off Bowden Francis (2-3), Yainer Diaz tripled and scored on Zach Dezenzo's RBI single and Yordan Alvarez capped the scoring with a sacrifice fly.
Gusto (3-1) allowed one run on three hits with six strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings. Gusto has allowed three runs or fewer in each of his three starts this season.
Bryan King pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings, and Bryan Abreu threw a scoreless eighth.
George Springer walked, and Ernie Clement doubled with one out in the ninth, but Josh Hader struck out Alejandro Kirk and induced a flyout by Myles Straw for his seventh save.
Houston has won five of its last six.
Springer hit an RBI double in the fourth for the Blue Jays. They have lost five straight games.
Francis surrendered three runs on eight hits in 4 2/3 innings. He has allowed three runs or fewer in four of his five starts.
Key moment
Hader striking out Kirk and getting Straw to flyout to center to end it.
Key stat
The Astros swept the Blue Jays for the first time since they swept a four-game series in Houston on May 14-17, 2015.
Final Thoughts
Julia Morales caught up with Walker after the game.
#Astros beat the Blue Jays 3-1
Christian Walker 2-4, HR & spoke with @JuliaMorales after the @astros WIN#BuiltForThis pic.twitter.com/MyRYdVwidH
— Space City Home Network (@SpaceCityHN) April 24, 2025
Up next
Houston starts a three-game series Friday at Kansas City, with RHP Hayden Wesneski (1-1, 3.91 ERA) starting the opener. Toronto RHP José Berríos (1-1, 5.02) starts Friday night in the opener of a three-game series at the Yankees.
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