Like in 2014, the SF Giants seem to be hitting their stride at the right time

SAN FRANCISCO – If the Giants were looking for motivation with six weeks to go in their improbable playoff push, the 2014 team, which celebrated the 10th anniversary of its World Series title on the field before Saturday’s game, offered them a tried-and-true formula.

This group had a mediocre record in August, made it to the postseason as the last seed, and won its third championship in five years thanks to its pitching.

This year’s team, many of whom watched the ceremonies from the top step of the third-base dugout, has even slimmer chances. But like the team a decade ago, they seem to be hitting their stride at just the right time.

Thanks to seven strong innings from Logan Webb and just enough hits at the right times, they picked up their fourth straight win, 3-1 over the Detroit Tigers, extending their season-long winning streak and showing increasing signs of staying power.

“We’re fighting through the games. We’re doing everything right. We’re playing good defense. We finally have a full, healthy starting lineup, which I think is a big deal,” Webb said. “We just have to keep doing it.”

The win was the Giants’ sixth in their last seven games, their 12th in 15 since July 25, and gave them their fifth straight Series victory. Improving to 61-58, the Giants were three games over .500 for the first time all season. They moved to within 1½ games of a playoff position, while the Mets, who hold the third wild-card spot, have yet to play.

“We find ways to win games when we need to,” said third baseman Matt Chapman, who failed to get a hit for just the third time in nine games this month but still made a key defensive play. “We’ve been trying to get over .500 slowly. That feels good. We’ve struggled all year, whether it’s because of injuries or just not being able to get anything going. In order for us to start moving in the right direction … we can’t lose games right now because everyone seems to be winning.”

On his first official day as the Giants’ new closer, Ryan Walker was called into action to protect a two-run lead. He allowed the potential tying run on base with one out, but painted the outside corner to reach Dillon Dingler and smuggled a slider past Javier Baez for his first save of the season.

Walker already had one save last season, but he said, “This one was a little more intense. Full crowd, totally crazy.” He admitted he “thought about it a little bit” while sitting in the bullpen, and when he stepped onto the mound, it was “nerve-racking … but I had it under control when I was out there.”

“I’m glad he made it through the first game,” Melvin said. “He definitely has the skills and ability to win games.”

After the Tigers allowed Webb to score the game’s first run in the fifth inning, the Giants responded with three runs of their own in the bottom half, which proved enough as their ace, in his third straight start, limited his opponent to one run or less, allowing just five baserunners in seven innings.

“I think I’m starting to get into a rhythm,” Webb said. “The change is probably better than it’s been all season, so just try to keep riding that wave.”

Webb was in the middle of his pregame routine during most of the celebration when he caught Madison Bumgarner calling him by name and holding up his water bottle.

“These guys are what we’re trying to be, what we’re striving for,” Webb said. “I hope to be in that position one day, to come back and enjoy that. That’s what we’re all trying to do. We feed off of that. The whole clubhouse feeds off of that. … I needed to warm up, but I also wanted to hear some of the stories they were telling.”

Webb sank 110 pitches, a season-best effort, and tied his season record with eight strikeouts, including back-to-back punchouts to end the fifth inning after Parker Meadows hit a one-out triple and scored when shortstop Tyler Fitzgerald’s throw to a chopper by the next batter was late and offline.

The only other trouble Webb encountered came in the sixth inning, from which he got out with an assist from Chapman.

The Tigers were a dangerous opponent with two on base and two outs, but the four-time Gold Glove winner third baseman turned a point-scoring fumble into a spectacular catch to end the inning, jumping up and twisting his body to catch Bligh Madris’ soft line drive out of the air.

“The ball goes over my head, they score and the other runner probably gets to third base,” Chapman said. “We didn’t necessarily block the ball today, so it was great that we were able to keep some runs off the board.”

Melvin said Chapman’s catch “started such a turnaround,” while Webb called it “incredible.”

“I don’t think a lot of baseball players make a play like that,” Webb said. “It’s fun to pitch when he’s out there. He made the play and I was shocked, almost like, ‘Oh my God.’ I played with (Brandon Crawford) for a couple years and he’s one of those guys that does that kind of thing too. Chappy, that’s on another level.”