The newly acquired Giolito (1-2) gave up three runs and three hits, striking out seven and walking three. He threw 101 pitches before being replaced by Aaron Loup in the seventh inning.
Giolito stumbled in the third inning, giving up three runs via a run-scoring single by Joc Pederson and a two-run single by Wilmer Flores. He said he maintained confidence by trusting the adjustments he made during the week, getting back over on top of the ball, and working ahead in the count.
“I think the real story, honestly, is offense defense…” Giolito said after the game. “I think that everybody showed up today ready to play.”
The Angels started fast, scoring four runs in the first inning. They chased Giants’ starting pitcher Scott Alexander before he could record an out.
Luis Rengifo hit a leadoff double and Shohei Ohtani — who was one for four— sliced a run-scoring single. One out later, Mike Moustakas hit a run-scoring single and he and Brandon Drury scored on a double by Hunter Renfroe, and the Angels ended the first innning ahead 4-0. .
Drury — who was three for five — hit a home run in the fifth inning to extend the Angels’ lead to 5-3. He later scored on a sacrifice fly by Rengifo in the seventh inning, taking the Angels’ lead to 6-3.
Drury returned from the IL on Friday after being out for more than a month with left shoulder inflammation.
“To see him drive the ball to right, that’s a big step in what is still kind of a rehab process for him,” manager Phil Nevin said. “There’s still some tenderness in there and he’s gotten it out, but I think the swings up and then turn on one like that which he hasn’t done yet. We feel good about him being right back to health.”
Nevin said Giolito getting through six innings with an elevated pitch count was outstanding, also noting big hits from Renfroe who went two for four.
“The one thing I didn’t want to happen,” Nevin added, “is after the three in the third by them you get deflated it’s easy to do that because of what’s been going on, but I don’t think that ever happened.
“I mean, there was a lot of voices in the dugout talking and I just don’t think we ever had that feeling enter the room and [we] played a good baseball game.”
Dominic Leone gave up a two-run homer to Flores in the eighth inning, setting up an eerily similar situation to Monday night, which was a one-run game going into the ninth. But, Renfroe scored on a sacrifice fly by Matt Thaiss to make it a two-run game, 7-5.
Leone secured the Angels’ win in the top of the ninth, striking out two.
“We’re getting rolling,” Renfroe said after the game. “This is one win, but it feels like it’s a lot more than that.”
“I told the guys, I said, ‘Man, I felt like the jinx,’” Leone said about the Angels not winning since the trade deadline. “So it’s nice to kind of, you know, finally get the ball rolling here.”
While Leone had no feelings to share about his two-inning save against his former team, Giolito was glad to be on the winning side of the ball this time.
“I mean, this team can absolutely rake,” Giolito said about the Angels offense. “I’ve been on the wrong end of that a couple times. So I’m glad to be over here.”
The Angels (57-58) are seven games behind Toronto for the last American League wild-card spot.