SAN FRANCISCO -- Manager Gabe Kapler admitted that he went through several drafts before finalizing the Giants’ starting lineup for Wednesday’s 7-2 win over the Angels at Oracle Park.

With left-hander Patrick Sandoval on the mound for Los Angeles, Kapler had a number of right-handed bats to potentially slot into the order, though some calls were easier than others. His “toughest lineup decision” was opting to start Wilmer Flores over the hot-hitting Brandon Belt at first base.

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“This wasn’t an easy one because there are so many guys who need to get looks,” Kapler said before the game. “Sometimes it looks clear as day when you’re looking at one particular matchup or another. Other times it’s a big puzzle and you’re trying to give everyone an opportunity and stay sensitive to the fact that guys are making adjustments and trying to get better. This was one of those days. This was one of those lineups.”   

Kapler’s choices were validated after Flores and Austin Slater homered off Sandoval to help the Giants secure at least a split of this four-game, home-and-home series with the Angels. Flores opened the scoring with a three-run homer in the third inning, while Slater added a two-run shot in the fourth to stake San Francisco to a 5-0 lead.

Slater has been unable to play the outfield since suffering a right elbow flexor strain, but he’s emerged as such a dangerous weapon against lefties that Kapler felt compelled to start him at designated hitter on Wednesday. 

Slater, who went 2-for-3 to boost his batting average to .341 on the season, helped set the table for Flores’ blast by drawing a leadoff walk off Sandoval in the third and then alertly went from first to third base after Evan Longoria’s two-out single deflected off the glove of third baseman Anthony Rendon and bounced away from shortstop David Fletcher. 

That brought up Flores, who golfed a 3-2 changeup just inside the left-field foul pole for his fifth home run of the year, all of which have come with two strikes. As a team, the Giants have 18 two-strike home runs this year, the third-most in the Majors behind only the Dodgers (20) and Angels (19).

“Right now, I’m trying to change my approach with two strikes,” Flores said. “I want to keep my approach with one strike or no strikes, which is to do damage.”  

Added Kapler: “I think he’s constantly, throughout an at-bat, looking for a pitch to drive and elevate. I think it’s sort of happened that he’s fouled and stayed in counts and earned an additional pitch at times. He’s been able to get up underneath it and drive it to the pull side for home runs.”  

The Giants targeted Flores over the offseason due to his ability to crush lefties, but he’s solidified a regular role by proving that he can be more than a platoon piece. He added an RBI single off right-hander Hansel Robles in the seventh and is now batting .301 over 22 games this year.

Shortstop Brandon Crawford, another player who is aiming to grow out of a platoon role, also rewarded Kapler’s faith after earning only his third start of the year against a left-hander on Wednesday. Crawford entered the game hitless in 10 at-bats against lefties this year, but he snapped that skid with a one-out double off Sandoval in the fourth, setting up Slater’s 400-foot shot out to left-center field. Crawford is now 10-for-28 (.357) over his last nine games after going 7-for-41 (.171) to start the season.

While he pushed all the right buttons on Wednesday, Kapler wouldn’t commit to sticking with the same lineup on Thursday against Angels lefty José Suárez.

“I think I have some more work ahead of me, frankly,” Kapler said. “I just don’t want to get too far out in front. I want to examine how guys came out of the game, ask questions of some of our position coaches and do the best job that I can to put a good defense and offense on the field tomorrow.”

Bullpen locks down Día de Cueto

Johnny Cueto opened his start with five scoreless innings, but he lost his shutout bid in the sixth following a costly defensive miscue by center fielder Mike Yastrzemski. After retiring David Fletcher on a groundout, Cueto induced a deep fly ball from Tommy La Stella, but Yastrzemski couldn’t haul it in, allowing it to bounce off his glove and fall for a double.

With Mike Trout due to hit, Kapler jogged out to the mound to chat with Cueto and gauge his stamina after throwing 100 pitches. Cueto assured him that he had more left in the tank, so Kapler allowed him to remain in the game and face Trout and Rendon for a third time. Cueto struck out Trout looking, but he couldn’t complete the inning after surrendering an RBI double to Rendon that cut the Giants’ lead to 5-1.

Cueto was charged with two runs over 5 2/3 innings after Rendon scored on Albert Pujols’ RBI single off left-hander Andrew Suárez, who faced three batters without recording an out in his 2020 debut. Still, the Giants averted another bullpen meltdown thanks to strong work from rookie Caleb Baragar, who struck out Justin Upton to escape a bases-loaded jam and then came back to post a scoreless seventh.

“Baragar came in and shut the door in a big way,” Kapler said. “He had a great fastball tonight. He kept pounding the zone with it.”

Tyler Rogers whiffed Trout on an 84 mph fastball en route to posting a clean eighth, and Tony Watson recorded a 1-2-3 ninth to give the Giants back-to-back wins for the first time since July 31-Aug. 1.

“That was a good win,” Kapler said. “Johnny pitched great, and obviously, he was able to go deeper into a game for us. We asked a lot of him, and he gave us a lot of pitches. We were able to hand the ball over to the bullpen, and they did a nice job for us.”