Camilo Doval returned to the San Francisco Giants on Saturday after a two-week stay in the minor leagues.
The time off seems to have done the Giants reliever good.
Doval threw 1 1/3 hitless innings in a set-up role on Saturday and the Giants earned a 4-3 victory over the host Seattle Mariners.
The deciding game of the three-game interleague series is scheduled for Sunday afternoon in Seattle.
“I don’t know if it could have gone better,” Giants manager Bob Melvin said. “He worked on all the things we asked him to do. You look at the numbers and see what he accomplished – he threw strikes, he was quicker at bat. Everything you hope for from something like that.
“It’s hard to swallow him going down there at first. But they said he wasn’t down there for a single minute sulking. So he knew he would be back here in 15 days if everything went well. And it went well.”
The Giants got unexpected support from an old friend after demoting Doval, who had wasted five of 27 save opportunities.
While pitching for Triple-A Sacramento, Doval and the River Cats faced Salt Lake and former Giants pitcher Johnny Cueto, who mentored Doval when he was promoted to the major leagues in 2021.
“We talked a little bit,” Doval told MLB.com. “He told me to trust in myself and remember who I am. That will help me get to where I was before and make me even better. Sometimes you have ups and downs. Things don’t always go well. But you have to keep your head up and keep working.”
Doval said he is willing to work in whatever role the Giants ask of him, although he would prefer to return to work as a game-closer at some point.
“The results speak for themselves,” Doval said. “I think it will be based on the numbers. I will keep working and see what happens.”
Mike Yastrzemski had three hits in Saturday’s win, including a double and a home run. Five Giants pitchers were practically wild, combining for four hits while allowing nine batters to walk.
“Sometimes you have to take your hat off,” said Mariners manager Dan Wilson, who suffered his first loss since taking over for the fired Scott Servais on Thursday. “Their bullpen was pretty tough — a couple of guys lasted a couple of innings. We put some pressure on them, but we just couldn’t get them in.”
“We still have a chance to win the series (on Sunday). We just have to keep working hard. I thought the at-bats were good and we’ll try to do more of that in the finale of the series.”
Giants left-hander Robbie Ray (3-2, 4.88 ERA) is scheduled to face right-hander Bryan Woo (5-2, 2.12) of the Mariners, who have lost nine of their last 11 games, on Sunday.
Ray helped the Mariners end a 21-year postseason drought in 2022 before getting injured in his 2023 debut and missing the rest of the season. He is coming off a 4-1 win over the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday in which he allowed one run on three hits in 6 2/3 innings, with no walks and nine strikeouts.
Ray is 1-1 with a 3.60 ERA in five career starts against Seattle.
Woo is 1-1 with a 1.67 ERA in four starts in August. He suffered a 3-0 loss to the host Los Angeles Dodgers on Monday despite allowing just two runs on two hits in 6 1/3 innings.
Woo has a 0-0 record and a 3.00 ERA in one start against the Giants, whom he cheered for while growing up in the Bay Area.
