SF Giants complete stretch of 17 consecutive games with walk-off win

SAN FRANCISCO — The Giants have found a lot of different ways to win ballgames this season. Sunday was something new.

Heliot Ramos hit a walk-off “Little League home run” as the Giants beat the Texas Rangers, 3-2, at Oracle Park, scoring the game-winning run on a weakly-hit ground ball thanks to two throwing errors from the Rangers.

Similar to Saturday, the Giants and Rangers entered the ninth inning tied at two runs apiece. With Ryan Walker having pitched on Friday and Saturday, manager Bob Melvin entrusted the top of the inning to Camilo Doval, who pitched a scoreless frame. That set the stage for Ramos, who took advantage of shoddy defense from the Rangers to win the ballgame.

Jordan Hicks rebounded from his recent rough stretch, allowing two runs over five innings with three strikeouts despite his sinker velocity being about three mph slower than normal. Hicks allowed two runs in the first inning but held the Rangers scoreless over the next four frames.

Hayden Birdsong followed Hicks with three scoreless innings of relief, totaling five strikeouts to no walks. Birdsong hasn’t allowed a run in six of his seven relief outings this season and his ERA stands at 1.13 with 18 strikeouts over 16 innings.

The Rangers scored two quick runs in the top of the first inning when Heliot Ramos got a bad jump on Marcus Semien’s flare to left field, allowing the ball to find grass and two runners to score. The Giants responded with one run in the bottom of the first, slicing the deficit to 2-1, but left runs on the table after drawing three walks against the Rangers’ Jack Leiter. LaMonte Wade Jr., who entered play hitting .114, hit a 107.1 mph line drive, but right into the awaiting glove of second baseman Marcus Semien.

San Francisco got the equalizer in the bottom of the fourth inning when Christian Koss drove in Ramos with a single, recording the first RBI of his major-league career.