SAN FRANCISCO — Most kids Julio Urias’ age spent Sunday night trying to figure out how to properly flip a cup. In his first of many starts in this rivalry, Urias showed the Giants that he’s the real deal.
But Brandon Belt showed him that you can’t groove a slider in the big leagues and get away with it, and Jake Peavy showed a national audience that a 35-year-old can be pretty dominant, too. Peavy pitched six shutout innings and Belt hit a two-run homer as the Giants edged the Dodgers 2-1, taking the series and extending their lead in the National League West to five games.
Peavy and Urias matched zeroes for much of the evening, with the young lefty showing the mid 90s fastball and good breaking ball that should make him a mainstay in the Dodgers rotation for years to come. Urias was on a strict pitch count, but he got through five innings on 77 pitches and retired seven, including Belt twice. With one out and one on in the sixth, Urias threw a slider that hardly moved and Belt crushed it to the arcade.
More than a decade ago, it was Peavy who was the young budding star who could reach back for extra velocity as needed. He’s a much different pitcher now, but he found a way to be effective against a scuffling Dodgers lineup, changing speeds and mixing up pitch selections. Peavy never faced any real trouble in his six innings.
Starting pitching report: Peavy has allowed five earned runs in his last four starts, throwing 24 2/3 innings. His final line Sunday: six innings, four hits, one walk, three strikeouts. He became the sixth active pitcher to win 150 games.
Bullpen report: On his 31st birthday, George Kontos pitched to one batter in the eighth and struck out Enrique Hernandez.
At the plate: Mac Williamson lined out sharply to deep left while leading off the fifth and Statcast recorded an exit velocity of 115 mph. That’s the hardest ball hit by a Giant this season, topping Jarrett Parker’s 114 mph single off Williams Perez last month.
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In the field: Williamson got robbed, but he also took a hit away, leaving his feet in the first to keep Justin Turner from a double.
Attendance: The Giants announced a crowd of 41,583 human beings, including Tim Hudson. He proudly kissed a beer can when he was shown on the scoreboard. Retirement seems grand.
Up next: Matt Cain returns to the rotation. He’ll face Chase Anderson and the Brewers.
