Giants take two game sweep from Athletics
San Francisco Giants outfielder Austin Slater hits a pinch-hit two-run home run against the Oakland Athletics during the sixth inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, July 26, 2023 in San Francisco, Calif.D. Ross Cameron/Special to The Chronicle
2023.07.26 – Pinch-hitter Austin Slater hit a tie breaking two-run homer in the sixth, Alex Wood earned the win with three scoreless innings of relief and the San Francisco Giants took the two game sweep from the Oakland Athletics 8-3 at Oracle Park on Wednesday night.
Manager Gabe Kapler wants his Giants to approach the remainder of the season as a furious, two-month playoff push with everybody in and ready to do anything needed.
Wood delivered as one example of that effort. He (5-4) entered to start the fifth in a tie game and allowed just one hit making his fifth relief outing of 2023 to go with 11 starts.
“We’ve got two months, we’ve got a really tough schedule in August, so every one matters,” Wood said. “So it’s show up and go to work.”
Slater connected against Hogan Harris (2-5) after J.D. Davis hit a two-run homer in the first against A’s opener Freddy Tarnok.
Shea Langeliers hit a tying single in the fourth for Oakland following Aledmys Diaz’s RBI single and an errant throw by center fielder Luis Matos that allowed a second run to come home.
Patrick Bailey and Mike Yastrzemski added RBI doubles in the eighth as the Giants swept the quick two-game Bay Bridge Series after snapping a six-game losing streak with a 2-1 victory Tuesday night.
2023.07.26 (SF Giants vs. OAK Athletics) See Full Highlights
San Francisco Giants outfielder Austin Slater, left, gets a congratulatory handshake from third base coach Mark Hallberg (91) after hitting a pinch-hit two-run home run against the Oakland Athletics during the sixth inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, July 26, 2023 in San Francisco, Calif.D. Ross Cameron/Special to The Chronicle
2023.07.26 (SF Giants vs. OAK Athletics) See Full Highlights
2023.07.26 (SF Giants vs. OAK Athletics) See Full Highlights
“It was good to see everyone get out of the rut tonight,” Slater said of the offense coming through.
Highly touted Giants shortstop Marco Luciano made his major league debut and went 0 for 2 after spending just six games with Triple-A Sacramento. His parents, Juana and Marco, will travel to the Bay Area from the Dominican Republic on Thursday ahead of a weekend home series against the Boston Red Sox.
Luciano received a rousing standing ovation when he batted for the first time in the big leagues and hit a deep fly to right caught at the wall.
“I’m a competitor who likes to have fun,” Luciano said.
Marco Luciano’s quick callup
Asked whether he had any nerves, the 21-year-old said, with Erwin Higueros interpreting, “I’m happy.”
“He’s not at all in awe of this,” confirmed Giants director of player personnel Kyle Haines. “Most of us would be overwhelmed with all of this. Marco just wants to go play ball with his buddies.”
In his first at-bat Wednesday, the right-hand-hitting Luciano drove the first pitch he saw to the wall in right, where it was pulled in by the A’s Ramon Laureano. Luciano grounded out in his second, and he started two slick double plays, combining with fellow rookie Casey Schmitt.
Luciano was promoted after just six games at Triple-A Sacramento. This is certainly not the first time the Giants have brought up a young player more quickly, maybe, than anticipated this season. Schmitt, Patrick Bailey and Luis Matos all fit that bill, too. In fact, Schmitt’s struggles after a hot start explain one reason for Luciano’s arrival.
“His first play, to his backhand, he looked really relaxed and like he had a pretty good clock,” manager Gabe Kapler said. “The play was fast and he got the base-runner by a step, but after that he seemed to even get more comfortable out there. Yeah, those were smooth, easy turns.”
Tony Kemp singled three times in the leadoff spot to match his season high of three hits for the A’s, whose fans rallied the Giants to join in more “Sell the team!” chants as a message against owner John Fisher’s plan to move the franchise from Oakland to Las Vegas.
The Giants get a day off Thursday for the first time since the All-Star break.
IMPRESSIVE BP
Giants first-round pick Bryce Eldridge, an outfielder and right-handed pitcher who signed for $3,997,500 on Tuesday, made quite an impression taking batting practice with the big leaguers. The lanky 6-foot-4 introduced himself to home run king Barry Bonds and received some encouraging hitting words from Brandon Crawford.
2023.07.26 – Giants vs. Athletics (Damon Bruce – fans SELL the team)
San Francisco Giants 2nd Base Casey Schmitt, center tags out A’s Tony Kemp #5 against the Oakland Athletics during a baseball game, Wednesday, July 26, 2023 in San Francisco, Calif.D. Ross Cameron/Special to The Chronicle
2023.07.26 – Giants vs. Athletics (Damon Bruce – fans SELL the team)
2023.07.26 – Giants vs. Athletics (Damon Bruce – fans SELL the team)
At 18, he will report to San Francisco’s complex in Scottsdale, Arizona, on Thursday to play his first game there.
“It’s crazy, I’m 18 years old and all these guys have been super shocked to see my size,” he said.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Athletics: 1B Ryan Noda can hit again with his batting helmet on as he recovers from a fractured jaw, “so that’s a good sign,” manager Mark Kotsay said. While he still is only using a straw to eat, Noda is scheduled to be examined again next week by his oral surgeon. … RHP Mason Miller (forearm tightness) threw a 20-pitch bullpen session. … OF Esteury Ruiz threw around the bases to test his dislocated right shoulder and will report to Triple-A Las Vegas to begin a rehab assignment beginning with batting practice and throwing Thursday then play Friday.
2023.07.26 – SF Giants vs. OAK Athletics (Locked On post game)
San Francisco Giants third baseman J.D. Davis, left, celebrates his two-run home run against the Oakland Athletics during the first inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, July 26, 2023 in San Francisco, Calif.D. Ross Cameron/Special to The Chronicle
2023.07.26 – SF Giants vs. OAK Athletics (Locked On post game)
2023.07.26 – SF Giants vs. OAK Athletics (Locked On post game)
Giants: OF Mitch Haniger received good news from the latest X-ray on his fractured right forearm and is ready to begin baseball activities. … 2B Thairo Estrada also is doing baseball activities while recovering from a broken left hand.
UP NEXT
The A’s had yet to announce a starter for the start of a series at Colorado on Friday night, while San Francisco announced late that it would start Logan Webb on Friday for its inter-league series opener against Boston.
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SF Giants 2014 World Series Champions