Flores homers to help Giants to 4-2 win over Astros

HOUSTON — Wilmer Flores homered and Joey Bart and Austin Slater had two hits each to give the San Francisco Giants a 4-2 win over the Houston Astros on Wednesday.

Slater drove in a run to put the Giants up in a two-run sixth, and an RBI double by Bart extended the lead to 3-0 in the seventh.

Alex Bregman got Houston within a run with a two-run home run in the eighth before Flores added some insurance for the Giants with a solo shot in the ninth.

San Francisco starter Logan Webb (2-5) yielded five hits and two runs in 7 2/3 innings, and Camilo Doval pitched a scoreless ninth for his fifth save.

Houston’s Framber Valdez (2-4) allowed five hits and two runs with eight strikeouts in six innings.

The Giants took two of three games of this series after a 2-0 win Tuesday night.

Neither team could get much going offensively before Bart singled on a line drive to right field to start the sixth and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by LaMonte Wade Jr. Slater followed with a single to right to score Bart and put San Francisco up 1-0.

Slater reached second on the throw home on the play before stealing third base. Thairo Estrada walked before Slater scored on a single by Mitch Haniger. Valdez finally escaped the inning when J.D. Davis grounded into a double play.

There was one out in the seventh when Valdez plunked Michael Conforto. A double by Bart with two outs scored Conforto to push the lead to 3-0.

The Astros got singles by Mauricio Dubón, Yordan Alvarez and José Abreu in the first inning before Webb settled down.

David Hensley walked with no outs in the eighth and the Astros got their first hit since the first inning when Martín Maldonado followed with a single. Dubón grounded into a double play before Bregman smacked his homer to left field to cut the lead to 1 and chase Webb.

He was replaced by Scott Alexander, who struck out Alvarez to end the inning.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Astros: 2B Jose Altuve resumed some baseball activities this week, but there still isn’t a timetable for when he’ll return to the team. Altuve fractured his right thumb in the World Baseball Classic and had surgery to repair the injury March 22.

“I think right now it’s hard to tell,” Altuve said. “Anything is possible. I’m working really hard. I want to come back and help these guys to win, but we’ll see. I think the next two weeks are really important in my rehab.”

UP NEXT

Giants: Off Thursday. Starts a series at home against the Brewers on Friday. Neither team has announced its starters.

Astros: Off Thursday. Opens a three-game series in Seattle on Friday with RHP Cristian Javier (2-1, 3.48 ERA) taking the mound against a yet-to-be-named starter for the Mariners.