HOUSTON-Justin Verlander got some run support for the first time in nearly a month and led the Houston Astros over the San Francisco Giants 4-1 on Wednesday.
Verlander (6-2) struck out nine and walked one in six innings, allowing one run and three hits as his major league-leading ERA rose slightly to 1.08. He had given up just three runs over 29 innings during his previous four starts, but the Astros had scored just three runs in that span, getting shut out twice.
Will Harris, Brad Peacock and Ken Giles each followed with a one-hit inning. Giles remained perfect in nine save chances.
George Springer hit a tiebreaking, two-run homer in the fifth on a 93 mph fastball from Jeff Samardzija (1-3), driving the ball off the facade above the left-field seats. Carlos Correa added an RBI single later in the inning.
Samardzija allowed four runs, four hits and a season-high five walks in 4 2/3 innings.
Buster Posey's sacrifice fly put San Francisco ahead in the fourth following Gorkys Hernandez's triple. Houston tied the score in the bottom half when Correa scored from first as right fielder Andrew McCutchen allowed Yuli Gurriel's fly ball near the foul line to drop behind his glove for an error.
Alex Bregman and Jose Altuve had steals as the Astros were aggressive on the bases against catcher Nick Hundley. Bregman and Tony Kemp also were caught stealing.