A very jubilant San Francisco Giants Donovan Solano rounding the bases in the top of the eighth inning at the Oakland Coliseum after hitting a two run home run against the Oakland A’s on Sun Aug 22, 2021 (AP News photo)

By Jeremy Kahn

OAKLAND-Donovan Solano came through in a pinch just like LaMonte Wade, Jr., just one day earlier.

Solano hit a pinch hit two-run home run off of A.J. Puk in the top of the eighth inning, giving the San Francisco Giants a 2-1 victory over the Oakland Athletics before a crowd of 30,345 at the Coliseum.

Austin Slater led off the inning with a walk, and then Solano hit the first pitch he saw from Puk and put it into the left field seats much to the delight of the Giants fans at the Coliseum.

Tyler Rogers came on to pitch the eighth inning for the Giants, and got out of the jam despite the fact that he allowed two hits in the frame.

Jake McGee closed it out for the Giants, as he picked up his 28th save of the decision, despite the fact that he allowed a double to Josh Harrison with one out in the inning. McGee was able to come back and get Matt Chapman to fly out to Darin Ruf for the second out of the inning and then got pinch hitter Chad Pinder to strikeout swinging to end the game.

Dominic Leone pitched a perfect seventh inning, striking out two and saw his record increase to 3-2 on the season.

The Giants are now 80-44 on the season, their second-best record thru 124 games since moving to California in 1958. Only the 1993 team, that went 83-41 thru the same amount of games was better than this team.

With the win, coupled with the New York Mets 7-2 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium, and the lead for the Giants in the National League West increased to 2.5 games over the Dodgers.

The Athletics finally got on the board in the bottom of the six inning, as Tony Kemp led off the sixth inning with a double, and then scored on a Mark Canha singled, Canha took second on the throw home, and it looked like it was going to be a big inning for the Athletics, Sterling Marte reaching on a fielding error by Brandon Crawford; however, the umpires got together and conferred about it, Canha was called out for getting hit on the foot and Marte was then awarded a single instead of reaching on an error.

Webb was able to get out of the jam, despite the fact that Marte stole second, as he got Matt Olson to pop out and then Jed Lowrie grounded out to Webb to end the inning.

Despite not being involved in the decision, Webb pitched a great game, as he went six innings, allowing one run on five hits, not walking a batter and striking out seven.

Frankie Montas was lights out for the Athletics, as he went seven innings, allowing only two hits, walking only two and striking out nine and like Webb, Montas did not fare in the decision.

Frankie Montas: First pitcher in Athletics history to throw 7+ scoreless innings, allow ≤ 2 hits, strike out 9+, and NOT get a win, this according to Doug Kern.

Buster Posey walked to lead off the top of the fourth inning, but when then caught stealing, when Yan Gomes threw to Olson, who threw to Kemp to tag out Posey and that would be the last rally of the game for the Giants until the Solano two-run home run in the top of the eighth inning.

Mike Yastrzemski picked up the final hit of the game for the Giants until the Solano home run in the top of the eighth inning, as he singled off of Montas in the top of the fifth inning.

The Giants next baserunner was not until Slater reached via the walk in the top of the eighth inning, just prior to the Solano pinch hit home run.

Over the final two innings, the Athletics were unable to get any runners across the plate, despite the fact that they had runners on second and third in the bottom of the eighth inning, when Marte doubled to right field that sent Canha to third after he hit into a force play; however, Rogers was able to get out of the jam, as he got Olson to ground out to end the inning.

NOTES: When Solano came up with the pinch-hit home run in the top of the eighth inning, it was the 14th pinch hit home run of the season for the Giants, tying the 2001 team for the pinch-hit home runs in a season. The 14 pinch-hit home runs by the Giants are the most in the Major Leagues.

The Wade pinch-hit home run on Saturday afternoon was the first of his career, while seven of his 16 home runs this season have given the Giants the lead or tied up the game (six go-ahead, one game-tying). Wade also ranks second on the team in go-ahead RBIs with 16 and game-winning RBIs with 10 and trails Brandon Crawford in both categories.

The Solano home run in the top of the eighth inning, was the 187th by the team this season and they retook the Major-League lead from the Toronto Blue Jays.

During the Bay Bridge Series this weekend in Oakland, the Giants hit six home runs, while the Athletics hit zero.

The Giants are the first team in MLB history to hit pinch hit HRs in the 8th inning or later to erase a deficit and take a lead in back to back games, this according to Sportsradar.

Prior to the game, they were a few roster moves for the Giants. Evan Longoria was placed on the COVID IL, while Reyes Moronta return to the team after his rehab assignment. And optioned to Sacramento.

Sammy Long was recalled from Sacramento, as was Jay Jackson and Anthony DeSclafani was placed on the 10-day IL (retro to August 19) with right ankle inflammation.

UP NEXT: After a day off on Monday, the Giants will open a three-game series against the New York Mets at Citi Field. Sammy Long (probable) will open the series against Tylor Megill on Tuesday.