By Vince Cestone

Photo credit: SF Bay News Lab San Francisco Giants outfielder Jung Hoo Lee (51) slugs a three run fourth home run against the Monterrey Saltanes on Tue Mar 24, 2026

The San Francisco Giants open the regular season on Wednesday evening, and they look ready to take on the New York Yankees at Oracle Park as they beat the Sultanes de Monterrey 8-2 on Tuesday night.

Landon Roupp, who was looking to bounce back from his poor start against the Los Angeles Dodgers on March 18, did just that. He threw 5 1/3 innings, giving up just four hits and two runs. He struck out six Sultanes batters but did walk three. Roupp figures to be the Giants’ fifth starter this season.

The Giants struck first in the fourth inning. After two walks, Giants’ outfielder Jung Hoo Lee launched a one-out, three-run homer against Sultanes pitcher Justus Sheffield that gave San Francisco a 3-0 lead. Lee is having a fantastic spring, hitting .455 (10-for-22), with a .500 on-base percentage and a 1.227 OPS.

The Sultanes answered back with two runs in the top of the fifth inning. With one out, left fielder Brayan Mendoza doubled in catcher Ricardo Genoves and center fielder Ismael Alcantra. That made the score 3-2 Giants. But the Giants got those runs right back the next inning.

Third baseman Christian Koss hit a little league home run to lead off the inning. Alcantra misplayed the ball in center, allowing Koss to come in and score. The play was scored as a triple and an error, giving the Giants a 4-2 lead.

Then, after a walk and a wild pitch, Jake Holton doubled in another run to make it 5-2 Giants.

San Francisco tacked on two more runs in the seventh inning when Victor Bericoto doubled in two runs, giving the Giants a 7-2 lead. Bericoto is having a fabulous spring, hitting .419 with a .422 on-base percentage and 1.120 OPS. He had three home runs and 14 RBIs in 43 at-bats this spring. Bericoto was recently optioned to the minor leagues, but he has certainly made an impression and could be back with the Giants very soon if he continues his hot hitting in the minors.

The Giants capped their scoring in the eighth inning, when Holton hit a two-out, RBI single to give the Giants an 8-2 lead. Holton went 2-for-3 on the night.

On the bullpen side for the Giants, Michael Fulmer and Blake Tidwell combined for 3 2/3 hitless innings and seven strikeouts. Tidwell had four strikeouts in two innings and closed out the game.

Up next, the Giants will open the season on Wednesday night against the Yankees at 5:05 p.m. at Oracle Park. Giants ace Logan Webb will be on the hill for the Giants against the Yankees’ Max Fried. The game will be televised exclusively on Netflix.