By Morris Phillips

SAN FRANCISCO–Buoyed by all their success gathered in a sweep of the Dodgers, the Giants kept their momentum going Monday night by breaking open a close game, and beating the Royals 6-2.

Alex Wood stood out, pitching six innings and allowing just four hits. He threw an economical 80 pitches and retired the last ten batters he faced, which was enough for manager Gabe Kapler, who turned to his bullpen to protect a 3-2 lead. Wood pitched with base traffic in the first three innings, but managed to keep the visitors from cashing in outside of a two-run third.

Brady Singer started for Kansas City, and Amir Garrett relieved him in the fifth, and neither seemed comfortable with Singer issuing five walks, and Garrett one to Austin Slater, who advanced to second on a wild pitch, and scored on Thairo Estrada’s base hit that gave the Giants a lead they wouldn’t relinquish. Singer issued four consecutive walks in the third, allowing the Giants to tie the game with free passes issued to Darin Ruf and Joc Pederson coming with the bases loaded, forcing in a pair of runs.

In all Giants’ batters drew nine walks, likely infuriating former catcher and Royals manager Mike Matheny. The walks in combination with the Giants five hits–four of them doubles–put the Giants in position to add on with two runs in the seventh and one in the eighth.

Relievers Mauricio Llovera, Jake McGee and Camilo Doval each pitched a scoreless inning after Wood departed with Doval picking up the save. Llovera was a gameday callup from AAA Sacramento as Heliot Ramos was sent out after another short stint with the big club.

The Giants have won four in a row, impressive in that it brings them within three games of the Dodgers and the division lead, and somehow has kept them in front of the Atlanta Braves in the wild card stack, despite the Braves winning a 12th straight on Monday. The Giants hold the lead wild card spot, significant this season in the expanded playoff field which will see that lead team host an opening round series in the postseason.

On Tuesday, the Giants and Royals play game two of a three-game set with Logan Webb, coming off arguably his most impressive start of the season facing Kris Bubic, who has an unsightly 0-3 record with a 9.13 ERA.