Giants and returning Alex Wood defeat Phillies 6-3

The SF Giants won against the Philadelphia Phillies Monday night 6-3. Alex Wood, who made his debut start after injury pitched a solid nearly five innings, allowing only two runs off four hits and one walk. The Giants' offense came alive to score six runs off ten hits.

Wood pitched an uneventful first frame to start the game. The Phillies, on the other hand, started relief pitcher Connor Brogdon in an unconventional attempt to give starting pitcher Bailey Falter a chance to enter with the game’s rhythm already established. But their plan backfired when Brogdon allowed two hits and a walk to load the bases, forcing the Phillies to go to Falter early. Though he got through the final out in Brandon Crawford, his challenges had only just begun.

In the second, Wood allowed a walk to Kyle Schwarber, which would come back to bite him. Two batters later, Wood gave up a home run to Alec Bohm, putting the Phillies up 2-0. With how quiet the Giants’ offense has been, this would ordinarily be a challenge for them to surmount. But in the bottom of the second, they attacked, taking advantage of some uncharacteristically poor defense from the Phillies as well.

Falter allowed two singles before getting Thairo Estrada to hit into what should have been a routine double-play. But second baseman Bryson Stott botched the starting catch, allowing the bases to load with only one out. Wilmer Flores then hit a line drive that Nick Castellanos failed to catch, allowing Joey Bart to score from third base, and putting the Giants behind only 2-1. Castellanos managed to throw out Thairo Estrada despite the dropped catch, leaving two men on base for Falter to get the final out. But Michael Conforto had other plans, sending a ball into left field to bring the score to 4-2.