Adrian Houser was gone before he could finish the second inning.
The San Francisco Chronicle reported that Houser left Tuesday's game at Oracle Park with what he described as forearm tightness, one night after Carson Whisenhunt exited with a torn ulnar collateral ligament. Anthony Molina, called up a day earlier, threw one pitch to retire the inning, then worked four more scoreless frames.
He allowed one hit, walked one, and struck out one in 4 1/3 innings, throwing 52 pitches with 34 strikes. ESPN's box lists him with the win in a 3-1 Giants victory over the Cincinnati Reds. His ERA is 2.89.
"It was really fast for me to get ready to start the game," Molina said through interpreter Erwin Higueros, "but I was able to get the job done."
The Chronicle recorded that quote. NBC Sports Bay Area noted Molina was acquired in the Tyler Mahle trade.
22 outs from the bullpen
Houser had faced six batters: 1 2/3 innings, one hit, no runs, no walks, two strikeouts, 26 pitches. NBC Sports Bay Area wrote that the Giants bullpen recorded 22 outs. After Molina, Sam Hentges worked a scoreless seventh, Trent Harris a scoreless eighth, and Carson Seymour closed for his first save despite Sal Stewart's ninth-inning homer.
Molina's one hit allowed was a bunt single by Hector Rodriguez in the fifth. He walked Ke'Bryan Hayes to open the third, then Nate Furman turned a line drive into a double play. In the fourth he struck out Tyler Stephenson.
Drew Gilbert robbed Stewart of an extra-base hit in the fourth with a catch at the wall and stayed down before remaining in the game, the Chronicle reported.
"That was an incredible catch," Molina said. "I just want to give props to the entire defense, they got me through some little jams. They made a lot of great, great plays behind me."