SAN FRANCISCO—Austin Slater lined a bases-loaded, game-winning single off the left-field wall with one out in the 10th inning Monday night, rallying the San Francisco Giants from two runs down in the inning to a 4–3 victory over the Houston Astros.
Slater’s second career walk-off hit came off Rafael Montero (1–2), the first since Slater had one on April 8, 2022, against the Miami Marlins. It did so much for Slater, given his struggles with injuries and finding his hitting groove this season.
Slater, who didn’t miss a grand slam by a whole lot, missed out on his first extra-base hit of the year only because the game ended when the Giants scored. Still, perhaps the big hit will give him some much-needed momentum going forward. He had popped up in foul territory as a pinch-hitter in the ninth.
“Whenever you can come through big for your team in a spot when you’ve been struggling, it feels that much better,” said Slater, who just returned last week from a lengthy concussion absence. “It definitely lifted a big weight off my shoulders.”
Randy Rodríguez (2–1) recorded the final out of the top of the 10th to gain the victory.
Houston had gone ahead by two runs in the top of the 10th on a sacrifice fly by Victor Caratini that scored automatic runner Joey Loperfido and Alex Bregman’s RBI single.
The Astros challenged that Trey Cabbage was called out at first on a bunt against Erik Miller to begin the 10th and the call was overturned on replay review for a single.
Montero started the bottom of the 10th and immediately gave up Brett Wisely’s RBI single. Heliot Ramos received credit for a single when shortstop Jeremy Pena had to reach and booted a skipping grounder. Patrick Bailey followed with an RBI single that made it 3–3.
After Michael Conforto reached on an error and Jorge Soler grounded into a fielder’s-choice force out at home, Slater delivered his biggest moment of the season.
Mike Yastrzemski broke up a scoreless game with an RBI triple in the sixth inning, only to see the Astros to tie it in the seventh on a triple by Yordan Alvarez and Pena’s sacrifice fly.
Mauricio Dubon hit a two-out single in the ninth off Giants closer Camilo Doval that put the go-ahead run on second, but Doval struck out Jose Abreu to end the threat.
This marked Dubon’s first visit back to Oracle Park since being traded by San Francisco to the Astros in May 2022.
“I love it. I like the guys,” he said before the game after catching up on the field with former teammate Logan Webb.
Astros starter Spencer Arrighetti allowed one run and four hits over 5 2/3 innings, striking out six and walking three.
San Francisco rookie lefty Kyle Harrison retired the first nine Houston hitters in order before Jose Altuve’s leadoff single in the fourth. Harrison was coming off back-to-back losing starts for the first time this season—allowing seven earned runs and 20 hits over 11 innings. He struck out three and didn’t walk a batter over 6 1/3 innings this time, surrendering one run and four hits.
“This has been as efficient as he’s been all year,” Giants Manager Bob Melvin said.
