Alex Wood pitched seven strong innings of three-hit ball, and the San Francisco Giants beat the St. Louis Cardinals 5-2 on Wednesday night.
Darin Ruf homered for San Francisco. Mike Yastrzemski and Donovan Solano both doubled in runs as the Giants avoided a three-game sweep.
Wood (8-3) set down 19 of 22 after allowing Nolan Arenado’s two-out RBI double in the first. The Giants lefty had six strikeouts and two walks and won for the first time in four career starts against the Cardinals.
Jake McGee pitched the ninth for his 17th save.
Johan Oviedo, who is winless in his first 16 career starts, allowed two runs and three hits in four innings, he drops to 0-5.
Cardinals RHP Carlos Martínez was placed on the 10-day Injured List because of what Mike Shildt termed a torn ligament in Martínez’s right thumb, an injury the pitcher suffered while batting during Sunday’s loss in Colorado.
Following an off day Thursday, LHP Wade LeBlanc (0-1, 4.24 ERA) faces the Cubs at Wrigley Field on Friday afternoon, 12:25 with the pregame and the first pitch at 1:20 on KIRX.
The first place Brewers lead second place Cincinnati by six games, the third place Cubs are 8 1/2 out, the fourth place Cardinals are 9 games behind.