Logan Webb pitches 2nd career shutout in the Giants' 1-0 victory over the Athletics

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Logan Webb pitched his second career shutout, leading the San Francisco Giants to a 1-0 victory over the Oakland Athletics on Wednesday night in a speedy 1 hour, 55 minutes.

Webb (8-8) struck out six, limiting the A’s to five singles and a walk in his first complete game of the season and third of his career. His other shutout came July 9, 2023, in a 1-0 victory over Colorado.

“As the game went along, he just got better and better,” Giants manager Bob Melvin said. “His movement was back today. Backdoor sinkers, changeups going straight down.”

Webb threw 73 of 106 pitches for strikes, getting 14 groundball outs. He allowed at least four earned runs in each of his previous three starts.

“It’s a known thing I’ve been struggling a little bit, so I just wanted to go out there and get back to what I’m good at,” Webb said. “Today was a perfect example of that. (Catcher Patrick Bailey) called a great game and the defense was amazing behind me. It was an all-around great game.”

The Giants snapped a three-game losing streak against their Bay Bridge rivals to split the two-game series. They will play twice more in Oakland on Aug. 17 and 18.

Oakland's Ross Stripling (2-10) pitched well against his former team, permitting one run on four hits with a walk and no strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings.

“Ross did a great job,” A's manager Mark Kotsay said. “Getting through 5 2/3 of baseball and only giving up one run, I thought he did a phenomenal job for us, keeping us in the game and managing the workload.”

Stripling spent last season with the Giants before being traded to Oakland in February. He fell to 0-5 lifetime at Oracle Park.

“Obviously, this one was meaningful,” Stripling said. “Played here last year, basically tipping my cap to the first seven of the nine guys I faced, saying ‘What’s up.’ You know, those guys are buds. Always kind of a weird dynamic.”

Mike Yastrzemski and Marco Luciano hit consecutive one-out singles in the fifth to put runners on the corners. Brett Wisely followed with a sacrifice fly to score the only run.

Miguel Andujar and JJ Bleday each had two hits for the A’s.

Abraham Toro singled with two outs in the ninth to put the tying run on base, but Seth Brown grounded out to second to end the game.

“We’ll put tonight’s game behind us offensively,” Kotsay said. “We did a great job on the mound. The bullpen did a great job of keeping the game at one run and giving us a chance to win a game.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Giants newcomer LHP Tyler Matzek (left elbow inflammation) is nearing the end of his rehab and could potentially return in August. “I’m a couple of bullpens, live BP and a rehab assignment away,” he said.

UP NEXT

Athletics: RHP Joey Estes (4-4, 4.92 ERA) was set to open a three-game home series against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday night opposite RHP Gavin Stone (9-4, 3.34).

Giants: LHP Kyle Harrison (6-4, 3.69) was expected to start Friday night at Cincinnati in the first of a three-game series. The Reds were set to counter with LHP Andrew Abbott (9-7, 3.38).

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB

Oakland Athletics pitcher Ross Stripling throws to a San Francisco Giants batter during the first inning of a baseball game Wednesday, July 31, 2024, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

San Francisco Giants' Brett Wisely watches his sacrifice fly against the Oakland Athletics during the fifth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, July 31, 2024, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

San Francisco Giants pitcher Logan Webb throws to first base for the out on Oakland Athletics' Zack Gelof during the seventh inning of a baseball game Wednesday, July 31, 2024, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

San Francisco Giants' Mike Yastrzemski, left, scores next to Oakland Athletics catcher Shea Langeliers on Brett Wisely's sacrifice fly during the fifth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, July 31, 2024, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

San Francisco Giants' Matt Chapman, center, reacts after hitting a double against the Oakland Athletics during the second inning of a baseball game Wednesday, July 31, 2024, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

Oakland Athletics' Miguel Andujar walks to the dugout after striking out against the San Francisco Giants during the third inning of a baseball game Wednesday, July 31, 2024, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

Oakland Athletics' Shea Langeliers walks to the dugout after being called out on strikes against the San Francisco Giants during the first inning of a baseball game Wednesday, July 31, 2024, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

Oakland Athletics' Shea Langeliers, right, reacts after being called out on strikes next to San Francisco Giants catcher Patrick Bailey during the first inning of a baseball game Wednesday, July 31, 2024, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

San Francisco Giants' Logan Webb pitches to an Oakland Athletics batter during the fifth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, July 31, 2024, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

San Francisco Giants' Logan Webb pitches to an Oakland Athletics batter during the fifth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, July 31, 2024, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

San Francisco Giants' Logan Webb (62) pitches to an Oakland Athletics batter during the eighth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, July 31, 2024, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

San Francisco Giants pitcher Logan Webb throws to an Oakland Athletics batter during the first inning of a baseball game Wednesday, July 31, 2024, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

BOSTON (AP) — Trevor Larnach and Matt Wallner both had RBI singles in the 12th inning and the Minnesota Twins beat the Boston Red Sox 4-2 on Friday night to move into the AL’s third and final wild-card spot.

Winning for just the sixth time in their last 17 games, the Twins moved a game ahead Detroit, which lost 8-1 to the Baltimore Orioles on Friday.

Trevor Story drove a run with an RBI single for the Red Sox, who are 7-14 in their last 21 games and trail the Twins by five games with eight to play. They are also behind the Tigers and Seattle.

Red Sox rookie right-hander Richard Fitts became the first in club history — and only the majors’ second since 1901 — to not allow an earned run over five innings or more in his first three big league starts. He gave up five hits with three strikeouts and a walk over five shutout innings.

Cincinnati left-hander Andrew Abbott is the other pitcher to start his career that way, when he also didn’t give up an earned run in his first three starts last season.

With runners on first and third and no outs, Larnach hit a high chop that ticked off the top of the glove of the leaping 6-foot-6 Cooper Criswell (6-5) that scored the go-ahead run. Wallner singled through a drawn-in infield and Willi Castro added a sacrifice fly.

Scott Blewett (1-0) worked the 10th for the victory and Griffin Jax got the final three outs for his 10th save despite allowing a run.

The Red Sox struck out 20 times and left 17 runners on. The Twins left 15 on base.

Both teams left two runners on in the 10th and 11th innings.

The 24-year-old Fitts was acquired in an offseason trade from the rival Yankees along with righty Greg Weissert and another minor-league pitcher for outfielder Alex Verdugo.

Story’s single gave Boston a 1-0 edge in the fourth against Minnesota starter David Festa.

The Twins tied it in the seventh when Byron Buxton scored from third on Carlos Correa’s fielder’s choice against Chris Martin on a ground ball not hit hard enough for an inning-ending double play.

Boston left the bases loaded against Jhoan Duran in the eighth when Ceddanne Rafaela lined softy to second.

In his last inning, Fitts escaped a first-and-third, one-out jam by getting Jose Miranda on a fielder’s choice before Carlos Santana flied to right.

Festa allowed only a run and four hits, striking out six and walking three in five innings.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Red Sox: Placed OF Rob Refsnyder on the 10-day injured list with a strained right forearm. … LF Jarren Duran banged his right arm and shoulder against the Green Monster, making a leaping grab, and was checked on quickly by a team trainer, but stayed in.

UP NEXT

Twins RHP Pablo López (15-8, 3.84 ERA) is scheduled to face Red Sox RHP Kutter Crawford (8-15, 4.19) on Saturday.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Boston Red Sox's Rafael Devers (11) is forced out at second base as Minnesota Twins second baseman Willi Castro turns the double play on Tyler O'Neill during the fifth inning of a baseball game, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)

Boston Red Sox's Connor Wong (12) steals second base against Minnesota Twins second baseman Willi Castro, front left, during the sixth inning of a baseball game, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)

Boston Red Sox's Jarren Duran (16) steals second base against Minnesota Twins shortstop Carlos Correa (4) during the third inning of a baseball game, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)

Minnesota Twins starting pitcher David Festa throws against the Boston Red Sox during the first inning of a baseball game, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)

Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Richard Fitts throws against the Minnesota Twins during the first inning of a baseball game, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)

Boston Red Sox's Trevor Story watches his RBI single during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Minnesota Twins, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)

Minnesota Twins pitcher Griffin Jax (22) and catcher Ryan Jeffers, left, celebrate after defeating the Boston Red Sox during the 12th inning of a baseball game, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)

From left to right, Minnesota Twins' Byron Buxton, Ryan Jeffers, Griffin Jax and Trevor Larnach celebrate after defeating the Boston Red Sox in 12 innings of a baseball game, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)

Minnesota Twins' Kyle Farmer (12) scores behind Boston Red Sox catcher Connor Wong, right, on a single by Trevor Larnach during the 12th inning of a baseball game, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)