Wilmer Flores, Jung Hoo Lee come up big again for Giants in win vs. Brewers

SAN FRANCISCO — Wilmer Flores hit a go-ahead home run, Jung Hoo Lee tripled home an insurance run, and same cast that has powered the Giants’ strong start to the season carried them to 5-2 win over the Milwaukee Brewers to begin their homestand Monday night.

The score was tied at 2 when Flores launched a first-pitch sinker from Grant Anderson deep into the left-field bleachers with two outs in the seventh.

His team-leading seven homers trail only four other players for the most in the majors, while only Aaron Judge has more RBIs than Flores (24).

“The RBIs that Flo has come up with, it’s when he does them that’s so impressive,” manager Bob Melvin said. “It’s not surprising by now with all the dramatics he’s had over the course of his career in big spots. But he’s been incredibly consistent, and so has Jung Hoo.”

With three innings of scoreless relief, Hayden Birdsong earned the win in his first work in nearly a week, and with Ryan Walker unavailable after pitching the past two games, Camilo Doval recorded his third save of the season with a 1-2-3 ninth inning.

San Francisco Giants relief pitcher Hayden Birdsong #60 throws against the Milwaukee Brewers in the sixth inning of their MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, April 21, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

The Giants improved to 5-0 behind Robbie Ray, but they had to claw back from a 2-0 deficit after Caleb Durbin took him deep in the second inning.

Ray was far from sharp but rebounded from the long ball to turn in one of his longest starts of the season. It took him 91 pitches to complete five innings, and he issued three walks, but he went deeper than he had since April 5 vs. Seattle and issued his fewest free passes since his first start in Cincinnati on March 30.

“Today was probably about as close as I’ve felt to ’21 in a while,” Ray said, referring to his Cy Young-winning season with Toronto. “I felt like my fastball was really good tonight. That was my main focus coming into this: just establishing the fastball.”

Ray attacked the Brewers with 38 fastballs in his first 42 pitches, and one resulted in both of their runs: a letter-high offering to Durbin, which the No. 9 hitter deposited just beyond the left-field wall for a two-run blast after Joey Ortiz reached by beating out a double play.

The runs were the first Ray had allowed against Milwaukee since 2016, spanning 20⅓ innings. He picked off Jackson Chourio in the top of the first to pass Chris Bassitt for the longest active scoreless streak against the Brewers, then lost the belt when Durbin took him deep the next inning.

The Giants got one run back at a time, getting two-out single from Patrick Bailey that allowed Heliot Ramos to race home from second to make it 2-1 in the second inning and tying the game when Tyler Fitzgerald came around to score after legging out his second infield single of the game in the fifth.

San Francisco Giants’ Wilmer Flores #41 is congratulated in the dugout after hitting a solo home run off Milwaukee Brewers relief pitcher Grant Anderson #56 in the sixth inning of their MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, April 21, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

It all led up to the big homer from Flores, who has seemingly had as many as any player around the league this season. He also worked a two-out walk that set up Bailey’s RBI single in the second and poked a single past first baseman Rhys Hoskins in the eighth.

“We all know he could do it, it was just a matter of him getting healthy and being able to get that feel back of what he knows how to do,” Ray said of Flores, who hit four home runs and drove in 26 runs all last season while battling tendonitis in his right knee. “It’s been really special to watch

Lee’s triple was his second of the season, one off the major-league lead. He already leads the majors with 10 doubles and possesses a team-best .983 OPS. Before lacing Jared Koenig’s 1-0 sinker into right-center field, the 31,758 on hand were serenading him with his Korean fight song and chants of his own name.

“Triple’s Alley is kind of made for him,” Melvin said. “It’s not the last one you’re going to see from him.”

Playing his first game against his former team, Willy Adames scored from first on Lee’s triple but finished hitless in four at-bats as his batting average sank bank below .200, to .194.

San Francisco Giants’ Jung Hoo Lee #51 hits an RBI triple off Milwaukee Brewers relief pitcher Jared Koenig #47 in the seventh inning of their MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, April 21, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)Related Articles Willy Adames keeps on smiling through early struggles with SF Giants SF Giants end road trip with whimper as Walker blows save against Angels SF Giants even series as Roupp dominates everyone but Angels’ Mike Trout SF Giants put Casey Schmitt on IL, their first transaction of the season SF Giants lose second straight despite Webb’s gem against Angels

The five runs equaled best scoring output in five games for the Giants, who had lost three of their past four and wasted a pair of walks to lead off the first two innings when Mike Yastrzemski and Matt Chapman were each thrown out attempting to steal bases.

Chapman’s walk in the second inning was his MLB-best 22nd of the season in 23 games.

San Francisco had been 18-for-21 on the bases before being thrown out twice.

“When you win a game,” Melvin said, “you can live with it.”

The four-game series continues Tuesday at 6:45 p.m. with RHP Jordan Hicks (1-2, 6.04) against LHP José Quintana (2-0, 0.71).

Milwaukee Brewers’ Jackson Chourio #11 is safe on a bunt single as San Francisco Giants first baseman LaMonte Wade Jr. #31 takes the throw in the first inning of their MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, April 21, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Robbie Ray #38 throws against the Milwaukee Brewers in the first inning of their MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, April 21, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)San Francisco Giants shortstop Willy Adames #2 tags out Milwaukee Brewers’ Jackson Chourio #11 on a steal attempt in the first inning of their MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, April 21, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)Milwaukee Brewers’ Caleb Durbin #21 hits a two-run RBI home run off San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Robbie Ray #38 in the second inning of their MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, April 21, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)San Francisco Giants left fielder Heliot Ramos #17 can’t get to a two-run RBI home run hit by Milwaukee Brewers’ Caleb Durbin #21 in the second inning of their MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, April 21, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Robbie Ray #38 reacts as Milwaukee Brewers’ Caleb Durbin #21 rounds the bases after hitting a two-run RBI home run off in the second inning of their MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, April 21, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)Milwaukee Brewers’ Caleb Durbin #21 is congratulated by teammate Joey Ortiz #3 after hitting a two-run RBI home run off San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Robbie Ray #38 in the second inning of their MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, April 21, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)San Francisco Giants’ Matt Chapman #26 is safe at second base as Milwaukee Brewers second baseman Brice Turang #2 takes the throw after a wild pitch in the second inning of their MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, April 21, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)San Francisco Giants’ LaMonte Wade Jr. #31 attempts a bunt in the second inning of their MLB game against the Milwaukee Brewers at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, April 21, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Quinn Priester #46 throws against the San Francisco Giants in the second inning of their MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, April 21, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)San Francisco Giants’ Matt Chapman #26 is tagged out by Milwaukee Brewers third baseman Caleb Durbin #21 on a steal attempt in the second inning of their MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, April 21, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)Milwaukee Brewers right fielder Jackson Chourio #11 makes a diving catch of a line drive hit by San Francisco Giants’ Mike Yastrzemski #5 in the second inning of their MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, April 21, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)San Francisco Giants manager Bob Melvin watches from the dugout in the second inning of their MLB game against the Milwaukee Brewers at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, April 21, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)San Francisco Giants second baseman Tyler Fitzgerald #49 takes the throw as Milwaukee Brewers’ William Contreras #24 slides safely into second base in the third inning of their MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, April 21, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)San Francisco Giants’ Matt Chapman #26 reacts after striking out swinging against Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Quinn Priester #46 in the third inning of their MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, April 21, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)Milwaukee Brewers second baseman Brice Turang #2 makes a throwing error which scored a run as San Francisco Giants’ Mike Yastrzemski #5 is out in the fifth inning of their MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, April 21, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)San Francisco Giants’ LaMonte Wade Jr. #31 hits a broken-bat single off Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Quinn Priester #46 in the fourth inning of their MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, April 21, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)San Francisco Giants second base Tyler Fitzgerald #49 is congratulated after scoring on a throwing error by Milwaukee Brewers second baseman Brice Turang #2 in the fifth inning of their MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, April 21, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)Milwaukee Brewers’ Sal Frelick #10 reacts after striking out swinging against San Francisco Giants relief pitcher Hayden Birdsong #60 in the eighth inning of their MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, April 21, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)San Francisco Giants relief pitcher Camilo Doval #75 throws against the Milwaukee Brewers in the ninth inning of their MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, April 21, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)San Francisco Giants’ LaMonte Wade Jr. #31 scores past Milwaukee Brewers catcher William Contreras #24 after a double play in the eighth inning of their MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, April 21, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)San Francisco Giants relief pitcher Camilo Doval #75 and San Francisco Giants catcher Patrick Bailey #14 celebrate their 5-2 MLB win over the Milwaukee Brewers at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, April 21, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)San Francisco Giants relief pitcher Hayden Birdsong, #60 Wilmer Flores #41 and catcher Patrick Bailey #14 celebrate their 5-2 MLB win over the Milwaukee Brewers at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, April 21, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)Show Caption1 of 23Milwaukee Brewers’ Jackson Chourio #11 is safe on a bunt single as San Francisco Giants first baseman LaMonte Wade Jr. #31 takes the throw in the first inning of their MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, April 21, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)Expand