San Francisco Giants

SAN FRANCISCO -- As Giants pitcher Noah Lowry battled his pysche as well as opposing hitters during his mystifying five-game losing streak, there was comfort knowing he was not enduring it by himself..

He was admittedly frustrated, watching his ERA climb to 6.45 during a time when his fastball went directionally AWOL, the batters thus waiting patiently for his changeup -- which often was up in the strike zone, fat and pretty. But if Lowry showed a hint of being down -- hey, he started his Major League career 7-0 and went 22 appearances before losing, a blow to his young ego -- his safety net was there to catch him.

"Scott Eyre and Kirk Rueter have been two huge inspirations for me and been guys who have helped me through some tough times with their own personal struggles they've been through at times," said Lowry, whose worst-ever streak ended Sunday with a 3-1 victory over the Oakland A's at SBC Park. "In my opinion, great names in this game," said Lowry, considerably relieved the Giants also won the three-game set, 2-1, their first home series victory since late April. "I never felt lost, but frustration sets in. You have to stay focused but stay with your game plan, and I'll continue to try to do that." Lowry said a low point -- and a turning point -- came after his horrendous outing in Colorado on May 17, giving up 10 hits and seven runs in a mere 3 2/3 innings as he dropped his fifth straight contest. The 24-year-old knew this was gut-check and mind-check time. "The game was a debacle. I really took our team out of the game, and I just decided I'm done thinking about it," said Lowry. "Just go out and throw the ball like I know I can throw." The second-year Giant had been on a bubble of sorts, for another poor outing might have forced the club to skip him a turn to smooth out his rough spots. Worse, a brief stint might have eventually cost him a rotation spot. Lowry needn't have worried. He threw relaxed and in control against the Athletics on Sunday, holding them to one run over seven-plus frames. He was buoyed by Moises Alou's two-run homer in the sixth, which proved all the Giants really needed, before San Francisco scored another run in the eighth on two errors by usually reliable second baseman Keith Ginter. Then -- how sweet it was -- new closer Tyler Walker ended the A's comeback hopes with a perfect ninth for his sixth save. "It was a big win for us, and hopefully it'll give us some momentum going into our next series [starting Tuesday] against Los Angeles," said Lowry. When veteran closer Armando Benitez's right hamstring tore from its moorings and put him on the disabled list April 27, manager Felipe Alou searched hard for a replacement with a game of musical moundsters. And then, Walker -- a 6-foot-3, 240-pounder, former catcher and ex-Cal star -- emerged. "This is fun; winning's fun for sure," said Walker on Sunday. "Getting the first guy out, that's the biggest part of the job. I felt good today. I had plenty of time warming up and attacked the hitters early." Walker, a native San Franciscan, has earned saves in each of his last five outings and in that time allowed only one walk. He's been unscored upon in 16 of his last 17 appearances over 19 innings. Alou had an inkling Walker would be the guy. "I liked him as soon as I saw him [in spring 2004]," said the skipper. "We liked him out of the bullpen, he made the adjustment very quickly, and he was one of the best relievers in camp. What he's doing now is throwing strikes and throwing hard." Walker didn't mind having a two-run cushion in the ninth, but he indeed got strike one on Bobby Kielty, Erubiel Durazo and Ginter before retiring them in order. He and his teammates wore special jerseys with "Gigantes" -- Spanish for Giants -- on the front, the ones they wore Saturday to help celebrate Juan Marichal's big day, honored with a statue at the park. Equipment manager Mike Murphy -- he's been with the San Francisco club since 1958 -- said, "I told them we should keep wearing them as long as we win, and we've already ordered more." The Giants have a modest two-game winning streak after dropping seven of their last 11 contests.