The running joke among the outfielders about playing behind Webb, the league-leader in ground-ball rate, is that it can be a bit of a bore. But Michael Conforto stayed on his toes enough to know to leave them momentarily when D.J. Stewart lifted the Mets’ first pop fly of the night into shallow left field.

Conforto charged the sinking fly ball and corralled it with a diving catch, losing his cap in the process.

It was a do-it-all kind of night for Conforto, who also provided the leadoff hit that kickstarted a three-run rally in the fifth inning that proved to be all the support Webb required. He raced home on an aggressive send from third-base coach Matt Williams when it looked like he could represent the only run from either team all night.

Reaching second on a single from Matt Chapman, Conforto had just rounded third when Jeff McNeil fielded Thairo Estrada’s one-out single in shallow left field. Williams didn’t hesitate with his green light, and Conforto’s fingertips crossed home plate as McNeil’s throw arrived off-line.

“I told him he’s a five-tool player,” Webb joked. “I don’t think he needed to actually dive. …

“No, obviously making plays like that, doing stuff hitting, fielding even running the bases — awesome. … The defense played unbelievable. I feel like that’s another thing that they’ve done the past couple games. Balls that should be hits that are not hits because those guys are playing incredible out there.”

Conforto’s single to lead off the inning, a bloop that fell in front of McNeil in left field, was the Giants’ first hit of the night.

Estrada added a triple off reliever Drew Smith in the seventh and scored on Mike Yastrzemski’s second RBI knock of the night. Yastrzemski drove in three of the Giants’ runs from the No. 7 hole and scored another.

The three runs the Giants scored in the fifth were more than Severino had allowed over 16 innings across his previous two starts. Facing the Giants for the first time in his career, the former Yankee took a 2.14 ERA into Tuesday’s start but walked off the Oracle Park mound with it at 2.67.

With eight scoreless innings, Webb lowered his ERA to 2.33, sixth-best in the National League.

“I’m just glad I’m on his team,” Melvin said.

Up next

Making his return to Oracle Park, Sean Manaea (1-1, 4.12) opposes the newest left-hander in the Giants’ rotation, Blake Snell (0-3, 11.57), in the series finale. The Giants are seeking to win three games in a row for the first time all season. First pitch is scheduled for 12:45 p.m. on NBC Sports Bay Area.

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