By Morris Phillips

SAN FRANCISCO–Consecutive victories, playoff caliber opponents, 12 plus innings and no earned runs allowed? Chris Stratton is establishing himself as a big league starter, news that couldn’t be more welcome for the officially postseason-eliminated Giants.

Stratton followed up his gem in Washington against the Nationals with six, shutout innings against the NL Central contending Brewers on Monday. The Nats were without a couple key, offensive threats, but Stratton excelled with ten strikeouts. The Brewers had their heavy hitters in the lineup, but managed just four hits. Consequently, on a club where opportunities are to be had by those that are ready, Stratton is moving toward the top of the list.

“Jones, Parker, Stratton, they’re trying to show they belong in the major leagues,” manager Bruce Bochy said after the Giants 2-0 win, their first shutout victory at home this season.

So good was Stratton, he not only carried the Giants past the Brewers and 14-game winner Zach Davies, he lightened the mood in the clubhouse after the game. While being interviewed by the assembled media, Stratton was interrupted by catcher Nick Hundley, making light of the rookie pitcher’s only strikeout on Monday. Stratton took the slight in stride.

“I just left all the strikeouts in Washington, I guess,” Stratton shot back.

Stratton’s scoreless streak is the longest by a rookie pitcher since Chris Heston went more than 15 innings without allowing a run in 2015. Stratton spotted his fastball and changeup with consistency, and he and three relievers kept the Brewers without a hit after Stephen Vogt singled in the fourth inning.

“He did a good job of just not going over the middle of the plate,” Brewers manager Craig Counsell said. “The wind early in the game killed some balls we hit to right. But it was more of how good he was.”

Brandon Crawford’s RBI double in the fourth got the Giants on the board, and two outs later, Hundley’s groundout scored Hunter Pence. The rail-thin Davies grew stingy after that but lost on the road for the first time in 2017 after seven victories.

The Brewers had won six of seven coming in, but fell 2 1/2 games behind the Cubs in the NL Central and 3 1/2 games behind the Diamondbacks with the loss. The Giants are 10-1 against Milwaukee in their last 11 meetings in San Francisco.

Jeff Samardzija looks to continue his mid-season surge in a matchup with the Brewers’ Jimmy Nelson  at 7:15pm on Tuesday.