The Giants may not have won pretty on Friday night, but sometimes a win is all that matters. San Francisco kicked off their series against the Pirates with a gritty 5-2 victory, staving off sole possession of the majors' worst record in the process.

Left-hander Robbie Ray had a rocky start, walking four batters and throwing 72 pitches through just three innings. But the veteran buckled down when it mattered most, completing six frames despite a bases-loaded jam in the third. The only damage against him came on a solo home run from Marcell Ozuna.

The game remained tight until the ninth, when the Pirates plated one run and brought the tying run to the plate. Closer Caleb Killian slammed the door, earning his second save of the season and giving the Giants some much-needed breathing room.

Rafael Devers was the offensive spark for San Francisco, matching Ozuna's blast with a solo shot of his own in the bottom of the second inning—his fourth home run of the season and second of the home stand. He followed up with a single and a run scored in his next at-bat, giving the Giants a 2-1 lead that held up for Ray's third win in nine starts.

The Giants added insurance in the seventh inning, plating three runs off the Pirates' bullpen. The rally was sparked by another slumping slugger, Willy Adames, who recorded his second multi-hit game since April 17.

Ray has been the recipient of some of the lowest run support in the majors this season (2.72 runs per game), but on Friday, the bats finally showed up against Pirates starter Carmen Mlodzinski.

The win was critical for San Francisco, especially with the Rockies earning an extra-innings victory over the Phillies. That result means the Giants' minus-42 run differential is no longer the worst in baseball—that dubious honor now belongs to the Phillies at minus-44. For a team fighting to climb out of the cellar, every little bit helps.

It wasn't pretty. But it's a win. And for the Giants right now, that's more than enough.