SAN FRANCISCO — Nearly halfway through the regular season, the Giants own the best winning percentage in baseball thanks to a well-defined identity and a consistent blueprint for success.
Their hitters blast the baseball, their pitchers throw strikes and they receive meaningful contributions from stars and role players alike.
The Giants wrapped up a seven-game homestand on Father’s Day with a convincing 11-2 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies thanks to four home runs, six innings of two-run ball from rookie Sammy Long and another strong effort from a bullpen that’s been among the best in the majors in June.
With a 46-26 (.639) record, the Giants improved to 20 games over .500 and have won 18 of their last 25 games at Oracle Park, where the capacity limit will be lifted next weekend as the club anticipates a packed house for the Bay Bridge Series against the Oakland A’s. In 11 June home games, the Giants have averaged more than seven runs per game and helped the team secure nine wins.
“We knew the offense we saw in (Washington D.C.) was not our best and we knew some adjustments were necessary,” manager Gabe Kapler said. “I thought we made those adjustments on the homestand, got back to our approach and obviously our guys feel very comfortable here in our home ballpark.”
For the second consecutive day, outfielder Mike Yastrzemski hit a two-run home run in the first inning to set the Giants’ lineup in motion. His towering blast into the right field arcade was followed by a solo home run to left center field from third baseman Wilmer Flores, who extended his hit streak to nine games.
“Our team is not looking to hit homers all the time but that comes with good swings and good pitches that we’re swinging at,” Flores said.
Flores wasn’t finished as he knocked his second home run of the game out to left field in the bottom of the fifth. The multi-home run effort was the sixth of Flores’ career and his first since hitting a pair on August 16, 2019 against the Giants while he was playing for the Diamondbacks.
“We expect these kinds of performances from Flo,” Kapler said. “It’s not that we expect two home runs, but we always expect him to be driving the baseball, we expect high quality at-bats, we expect him to be a tough out.”
Shortstop Brandon Crawford squeezed his 16th home run of the season in between Flores’ homers as his fourth-inning two-run shot to center field gave Long some breathing room after he surrendered a two-run home run to Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto in the top of the frame. Crawford nearly hit his 17th in the bottom of the eighth, but his deep flyball hit off the very top of the center field wall and plopped back onto the warning track for a two-run double.
With 107 home runs in 72 games, the Giants are now tied with the Toronto Blue Jays for the most home runs in the majors.
“In the history of our park, it hasn’t necessarily been a place where we come to get hot,” Crawford said. “But there’s something about playing in front of home fans for sure.”
Realmuto finished with three hits and added a double against Long, but he was the only Phillies player who figured out how to hit the newest addition to the Giants’ rotation. In his first career start, the Sacramento State product filled up the zone as he threw 61 of his 84 pitches for strikes and completed six innings for the first time as a professional since he logged seven for the Low-A Kannapolis Intimidators on August 24, 2019.
“I was in compete mode so I don’t think about how many pitches I’ve thrown or any of that type of stuff,” Long said. “I’m making that next pitch until Kapler walks out and tells me I’m done or he’s shaking my hand in the dugout.”
For Long, who grew up attending games at Oracle Park as a Giants fan, the opportunity to start on Father’s Day with his dad, Trent, in the stands was clearly a highlight of his young career.
“He’s one of the main reasons I’m where I’m at today,” Long said. “I get my competitive nature from him, I get my work ethic from him. He taught me everything I need to know on how to succeed in life and in sports so it’s a special day to be able to share that with him.”
Long got better as the game went along Sunday, using a balanced approach as he threw 34 fastballs, 33 curveballs and 17 changeups against the Phillies while racking up six strikeouts.
“His curveball from what I’ve seen is up there with one of the best curveballs in baseball,” Crawford said. “That thing drops out of the sky and he’s able to locate it pretty well.”
The Giants weren’t completely reliant on the long ball for their runs on Sunday as center fielder Steven Duggar, who sports a .960 OPS, had two hits including a RBI double to drive in Donovan Solano while catcher Curt Casali drew a bases loaded walk.
The additional runs allowed Kapler to save his high-leverage relievers, Jake McGee and Tyler Rogers, and send newcomers Jimmie Sherfy and John Brebbia to the mound in the eighth and ninth innings. Brebbia’s appearance marked his first in the majors since undergoing Tommy John surgery last June, meaning he needed fewer than 13 months to make his return to the big leagues.
