Logan Webb’s Dominating Performance Leads Giants to Shutout Victory Over Brewers

MILWAUKEE — For the Giants, every aspect of their game was clicking seamlessly, right down to the smallest details.

Even the orange Gatorade in the dugout seemed to be just right.

“Sometimes they mix it too strong or too weak,” said Ron Washington, a seasoned veteran with a discerning palate for the sports drink. “Today, it’s just right.”

In fact, everything seemed perfect.

That sentiment extended to Logan Webb’s performance. Almost perfect.

In a 1-0 over the Brewers, the Giants ace didn’t allow a base runner until issuing a walk to start the sixth inning and took a no-hitter into the seventh, when a flare off the bat Brice Turang snuck inches over the glove of a diving Matt Chapman, who extended as far to his left as he could. 

Webb had to settle for one of the most sterling showings of his career — by far his best of the season — and a much-needed performance to flip the Giants’ fortunes after dropping seven of their past eight to enter the game with the worst record in the majors.

It didn’t end without drama: Christian Yelich doubled to lead off the bottom of the ninth and reached third with one out, but Keaton Winn got Turang to swing through a fastball above the letters for the second out and stranded the tying run 90 feet away with a groundout of William Contreras to preserve the spectacular effort by Webb.

He finished seven shutout innings, surrendering just the one walk and one hit while striking out four and using his sinker to induce a dozen mostly soft ground-ball outs.

The no-hit bid risked overshadowing another feel-good moment that ended up being just as decisive in determining the outcome. 

Up until the seventh, the only activity in the Giants’ bullpen came when they were at the plate in the top of the fifth, as rookie outfielder Victor Beritcoto’s first home run landed among the group of relievers and bounced into the stands, providing the only run San Francisco would need.

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What it means

Webb’s season, like the Giants as a whole, has been a frustrating one to this point. His 4.82 ERA is the highest since he established himself in the majors in 2021. The Giants were just 2-7 behind him in his first nine starts, and a knee issue forced him to the IL for the first time.

Turns out, the time off was a good thing. Really good. Just what Webb needed. Almost perfect.

Who’s hot

Webb, perhaps, was extra motivated by watching his close friend and former teammate, Kyle Harrison, dominate the Giants the previous night. Or maybe he looked at the 4.94 ERA the Giants’ rotation took into the game and decided something needed to be done about it.

He could just like facing the Brewers.

In seven previous starts against them, Webb was 4-0 with a 2.08 ERA. The only team he’s had more success against in as many starts is the Reds, who happened to be the victims of the Giants’ last no-hitter, thrown by Blake Snell at Great American Ballpark in 2023.

Who’s not

Webb was back to normal form in his second start back from the first stint on the injured list of his career. Unfortunately for the Giants, so was their lineup.

Robert Gasser, a left-hander called up from Triple-A before the game, matched zeros in the run column — if not the hit column — for the first four innings, and the Giants weren’t able to provide any insurance following Bericoto’s home run in the fifth.

They were held to three or fewer runs for the sixth time in their past nine games, stranding at least eight men on base for the fourth time during that stretch.

Up next

Adrian Houser will look to build on Webb’s effort in the series finale as the Giants try to salvage a split in the four-game series against the NL Central leaders before finishing their road trip with three games against the Cubs at Wrigley Field.