Schafer: Home run trot
(c) Associated Press
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When the Giants dealt away AA pitcher Henry Sosa in last month's deal that brought Jeff Keppinger to the Bay Area, nobody would have suspected he could cause San Fran to lose their division. But Sosa outdueled Ryan Vogelsong on Thursday as the Astros held off the Giants, 3-1, as the World's Champs fell three games behind Arizona in the NL West.
Sosa picked up his first big league win after allowing one run and four hits over six innings. Wilton Lopez and Mark Melancon tossed three innings of shutout ball to preserve the win.
Jordan Schafer scored all three runs in his best performance yet as an Astro. He reached base on an infield single, a walk and a solo home run while J.D. Martinez plated him the first two times with a double and a sacrifice fly. Overall, the Astros had eight hits.
Eli Whiteside scored the lone Giant run in the third when he singled and eventually scored on a grounder by Orlando Cabrera. Keppinger had two of San Francisco's six hits.
Houston has now won three of four this year from the champs and will try to keep the momentum going on Friday when J.A. Happ (4-14) returns in the 9:15 Central start. Fellow lefty Madison Bumgarner (7-12) will be his mound opponent. Bumgarner lost a 7-5 decision to the Astros last Saturday when Jordan Lyles was the Astros' pitcher.
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