Mauricio’s Revenge. Giants Reject Dubon Punishes San Fran En Route to Astros 7-3 Win

What’s up with Mauricio Dubon? That’s what the Giants are asking after letting him go to the Astros last year for a minor league catcher.

Here in Houston the question is: When will Mauricio Dubon regress? Although his 20-game hitting streak recently ended, the answer is, not tonight. Dubon was a one-man Giant-killer tonight, scoring two runs and hitting in two more. He’s currently hitting .317 after hovering near the Mendoza line all last year.

The Astros notched the scoreboard in the first inning when Dubon scored on a Jose Abreu single. Dubon led off with a single and stole second to get into scoring position for Abreu.

Astros starter Luis Garcia left the game with an injury in the first inning without officially retiring a batter. He was replaced by Brandon Bielak, who was just promoted from AAA to replace injured Jose Urquidy. Bielak filled in admirably, allowing two runs in four innings, his only mistake a two-run homer in the third to Joc Pederson.

But Dubon got the Astros back in the game with a two-out RBI single in the fifth inning and in the seventh inning he got the Astros their lead back with an RBI double that scored Jake Meyers.

But that was just the beginning. Dubon scored on a single by Alex Bregman. Yordan Alvarez was then hit by pitch, and a wild pitch advanced Bregman and Alvarez. Bregman scored on an Abreu groundout, Alvarez scored on a Peña single and Bregman scored the seventh Astros run on a Corey Julks single.

The Giants got a run back in the eighth with a LaMonte Wade Jr. solo home run off Rafael Montero. But Ryan Pressly turned out the lights with a scoreless ninth inning. Credit to Phil Maton who continued his 2023 excellence, pitching two scoreless innings, and Ryne Stanek, who held the Giants in the seventh.

Astros send Hunter Brown to the mound tomorrow at 7:10 CT for their third straight win.

Box score HERE.