After nearly losing Tim Lincecum in the series, the Astros completed a four-game sweep over the Giants with a 7-4 finale win. A late three-run homerun in the eighth inning broke a 4-4 tie to give Houston four more wins over what is now an eight-game winning streak.
Kevin Correia was given a lead to start the game with, but let up as the Giants traded runs with Houston most of the game. He nearly made it through seven innings with the game tied at four, but had to be bailed out of trouble. Correia finished the day with five strikeouts, a walk, seven hits, and three earned runs (and allowed a fourth on a passed ball by catcher Pablo Sandoval) in six and two-thirds innings pitched. Jack Taschner relieved Correia, but was unsuccessful in retiring the one batter he was brought in to deal with. Keiichi Yabu came in for Tascher, and promptly ended the inning, but started the eighth with a hit before Alex Hinshaw took over. Hinshaw was able to get two outs in the inning before allowing a double and three-run homer that gave Houston a secure lead. Tyler Walker finished off the eighth inning after allowing a harmless single.
Making his Major League debut, Sandoval drove in a run with a sacrifice fly in the two-run first inning. Randy Winn was two-for-four with a single and a double that combined fore two RBI. Eugenio Velez also went two-for-four, but with singles and scored two of the San Francisco runs. Fred Lewis added a run in the sixth inning with a go-ahead solo homer.
After a painful start to the road trip, the Giants head to Atlanta tomorrow to begin a three-game weekend series. Game one is set for 4:30 p.m. and will feature pitchers Matt Cain and Jair Jurrjens battling each other for a win.
