That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary: A’s, Giants on the road for Cinco de Mayo weekend

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By: Amaury Pi-Gonzalez

Tomorrow is Cinco de Mayo, and it is the anniversary of the Battle of Puebla, Mexico in 1862, which marks a Mexican military victory over the French forces of Napoleon. It is NOT Mexican Independence Day, that is on September 16. But Cinco de Mayo is a popular day that ironically is celebrated much more in the US than in Mexico.

What? How can that be.The San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose Bay Area is one of the most wealthiest areas of the country. The South Bay and Silicon Valley is leading the way when it comes to the world’s technology. Today, the nine-county Bay Area has a population of over seven million people and we are denied to have one our teams at home? For the record, it also happens in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles, three metropolitan areas with two major league teams who play less than 50 miles apart.

The MLB’s 30 team schedule is truly a crazy one, with interleague games since 1997, beginning with the Texas Rangers and the San Francisco Giants in Arlington, Texas. That day, Texas and three other games on the West Coast, teams from the National League, played teams from the American League during the regular season for the first time. In the end, they played a total of 214 games spread over three periods, the last ending on September 3.

I was working that first ever interleague game, broadcasting for the Giants when they played the Rangers in Arlington. On June 12 ,1997, a historical first interleague game where the Giants beat the Rangers 4-3. Mark Gardner (7-2) got the victory for the Giants, while Darren Oliver (3-8) was charged with the loss for the Rangers, and Rod Beck saved his 20th game for the Giants. I remember it well and I still have a souvenir they passed in the press box for that historical day.

It is a shame with the great weather we are enjoying in the Bay Area, baseball fans will not be able to attend a game this Cinco de Mayo. However, on Monday, September 16, the A’s will be at home hosting the Kansas City Royals, so you can celebrate Mexican Independence at the Coliseum that day. Also, on September 16, the Giants have an off-day in Boston and will begin a three-game set against the Red Sox the next day. Oh, yes…interleague play!

Anyways, Feliz Cinco de Mayo amigos!

Giants come back from 8 down, win 12-11 behind Vogt, Longoria

Photo credit: @MLB

By Jeremy Kahn

This will be a game that Stephen Vogt will never forget for the remainder of his major-league career.

Vogt hit a game-tying home run with two outs in the top of the ninth inning, and then Evan Longoria hit the tie breaking home run in the top of the 11th inning, as the San Francisco Giants came back from an 8-0 deficit to defeat the Cincinnati Reds 12-11 at Great American Ballpark.

This was the Giants first win at Great American Ballpark in three years, and were outscored 58-15 during a seven-game losing streak that ended with this thrilling victory.

As for largest comeback in Giants history, this was the fifth time in team history that the team came back from an eight-run deficit.

The four prior times came on Sept. 8, 1947 at Pittsburgh; April 14, 1970 at Atlanta; Sept. 23, 1970 at Los Angeles; and Sept. 4, 1989 at Cincinnati.

Derek Dietrich hit two three-run home runs, as the Reds jumped out to an 8-0 lead at the end of just three innings and it looked like this game was going to get out of control; however, the resiliency of this team did not allow to happen.

The Giants began to chip away at the Reds big lead in the top of the fourth inning, as they scored three runs off of former Oakland As pitcher Sonny Gray.

Brandon Crawford got the Giants on the board, as he grounded out to score Buster Posey, who led off the inning with a single.

After Kevin Pillar flew out for the second out of the inning, Steven Duggar cut the lead down to 8-3, as he singled to center to score Longoria and Brandon Belt.

It was a huge night for Duggar as well, as he backed up his first ever three hit game on Wednesday night against the Los Angeles Dodgers and then went 3-for-5 in the opener of this three-game series.

Yaisel Puig then scored the ninth run of the game for the Reds, as he scored on a play that saw Nick Vincent commit two errors on ball hit by Dietrich.

Kyle Farmer extended the lead up to seven runs once again, as he hit a solo home run to extend the up to 10-3.

Then the Giants began to chip away even more, as they scored four runs in the top of the sixth inning, when Duggar hit a sacrifice fly to score Crawford, then Vogt doubled to right on a play where you saw Puig nearly throw Pillar at the plate after falling in the outfield and then Joe Panik launched a two-run home run to get within three runs.

Jesse Winker gave the Reds a four-run lead, as he hit a ground-rule double to score Tyler Barnhart in the bottom of the seventh inning.

The Giants cut the lead down to one in the top of the eighth inning, as Brandon Belt hit a two-run single that scored Duggar and Vogt and then Longoria came up with the first of his two big hits on the evening, as he singled to score Tyler Austin.

With two outs in the top of the ninth inning, Vogt hit the first pitch he saw from Reds closer Raisel Iglesias to tie up this wild game.

It would be tied until Longoria led off the inning, as he hit a solo home run off of Jared Hughes that barely landed into the left field seats that gave the Giants their first and what turned out to be their only lead of the game at the most opportune time.

Reyes Moronta pitched one inning, allowing a walk and striking out three, as he won for the first time this season.

Will Smith struck out two in the bottom of the inning to pick up his eighth save of the season.

Tyler Beede made his season debut, and it will be one that the rookie would like to forget as soon as possible. Beede lasted just two and one-thirds innings, walking two and striking out three and did not fare in the decision.

Gray, who liked he was on his way to his first win of the season, as he left the game with the lead and went five innings, allowing three runs on four hits, walking three and striking out two, as he did not fare in the decision.

Mike Gerber, who was President of Baseball Operations Farhan Zaidis first acquisition, but was designated for assignment during spring training was recalled from Triple-A Sacramento and he doubled and walked in four plate appearances.

NOTES: To make room for Gerber on the roster, the team designated outfielder Gerardo Parra for assignment. Parra, who signed a minor-league contract with the team in February, hit just .198 with one home run.

Erik Kratz was placed on the 10-day injured list with a strained left hamstring.

UP NEXT: Dereck Rodriguez, who allowed six runs in his last start against the New York Yankees on Saturday afternoon will take the mound on Saturday, while the Reds will send Tanner Roark to the hill.

San Francisco Giants podcast with Michael Duca: Giants end homestand on a good note, win two from Dodgers

Photo credit: @SFGiants

On the Giants podcast with Michael:

#1 On Wednesday night, San Francisco Giants catch Buster Posey got a ninth inning single to get the Giants a 2-1 win and avoid getting swept by the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers.

#2 Giants pitcher Madison Bumgarner faced the Dodgers’ Cody Bellinger, who has the franchise record for the fastest player to achieve 14 home runs in just 32 games, was able to hit a hot grounder to first base that he beat out and allowed Kike Hernandez to score from second base to tie the game.

#3 It was Posey that saved the day after Bumgarner pitched well enough to win as Bumgarner said after the game he has been trying different stuff and things fell together on Wednesday night.

#4 The Giants snap a losing streak Thursday after getting swept by the New York Yankees and winning two out of three from the Dodgers.

#5 Friday’s starting pitchers: For the Giants, Tyler Beede (0-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. the Cincinnati Reds’Sonny Gray (0-4, 3.64 ERA).

Michael Duca does the Giants podcasts each Friday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

San Francisco Giants day off report: Bottom-feeders face off S.F. opens series in Cincinnati tonight

mlb.com file photo: Newly promoted San Francisco Giants pitcher Tyler Beede will start for the Giants tonight against the Cincinnati Reds to open a three game series in Cincinnati’s Great American Ball Park.

By Jeremy Harness

After getting swept by the New York Yankees, the Giants bounced back extremely well this week. They rallied to take two of the three-game series from the hated Los Angeles Dodgers, a series that was capped by Buster Posey’s walk-off hit in the bottom of the ninth to clinch the series.

Now it’s time to take that momentum to the road, as the Giants will head to Cincinnati for a four-game series with the Reds, a series that starts Friday night at the Great American Ball Park.

The Reds have had an up-and-down year, to say the least. Cincinnati started the year losing the first seven games by getting swept by Milwaukee and Pittsburgh, but followed that by winning the next four games in a row.

That was followed by a four-game losing skid and then a three-winning streak.

Just like the Giants, Cincinnati currently sits in last place in its division, the National League Central, with a 13-18 record, the same mark that the Giants own.

The series opener will see a familiar face in the Bay Area. One-time A’s star Sonny Gray (0-4, 3.64 ERA), who was traded to the Yankees a few years ago and could not regain his form, is now with the Reds and will go on Friday against Giants righty Tyler Beede, who will be making his season debut.

Right-hander Dereck Rodriguez (3-3, 4.35 ERA) will take the ball on Saturday opposite Cincinnati’s Tanner Roark (1-1, 4.08 ERA). Jeff Samardzija (2-1, 2.53 ERA) has experienced a resurgence this season, and he hopes to continue that on Sunday when he faces Cincinnati’s Luis Castillo (3-1, 1.45 ERA), which should be a very tough matchup.

Drew Pomeranz (1-3, 4.08 ERA) will try to get things back on track in the series finale Monday afternoon when he faces Cincinnati starter Anthony DeSclafani (1-1, 3.48 ERA).

Giant Battle: Posey’s ninth inning single wins it, 2-1 over the Dodgers

By Morris Phillips

SAN FRANCISCO — 103 pitches into a terrific outing on Wednesday night, Madison Bumgarner found himself in a race he could not win.

Facing the planet’s hottest hitter, Clay Bellinger, in a 1-2 count with Kike Hernandez at second as the potential tying run, Bumgarner was either a pitch from departing with a shutout and a lead, or something a whole lot worse given he was facing a guy with a franchise-record 14 home runs in the Dodgers’ first 32 games of the season. A hot grounder down the first base line somehow didn’t elude Brandon Belt giving the first baseman a chance to record an out if he could connect with his pitcher running from the mound to the bag before Bellinger barreled down the line.

But again, Bumgarner was in a race he couldn’t win with a deceptively speedy runner determined to give his team a chance. The former World Series MVP pulled up short, conceding the hit, and taking Belt’s throw 20 feet from first, only to turn toward home and see Hernandez racing home with the tying run.

Giants’ best player in a favorable spot with a chance to win?

Not always going to work out for these punchless Giants. But this game provided a reprieve for Bum and the Giants as Buster Posey came up with a tie-breaking, ninth inning single in the team’s 2-1 win over the Dodgers.

“Just an all-around great game,” manager Bruce Bochy said. “Both sides pitched so well. It was a hard-fought game. Great win for us.”

The Giants’ biggest win to date also captured the series, a nice follow-up for the last-place club after being swept by the Yankees over the weekend. The Giants have won five of nine, but it’s never easy. Four of those five wins have been by one run.

The walkoff win against the defending National League champs was the story, but so was Bumgarner. In six innings of work, he was near perfect, allowing one run on four hits, striking out eight. The fourth and sixth frames were marathons for the pitcher, but he escaped in a tie game, despite little support, a first inning, run scoring sacrifice fly from Belt.

Not the first time Bumgarner’s dealt against the hated blue, or faced some adversity courtesy of Hernandez (23 of 45 lifetime against Bumgarner with six doubles and four homers). But rarely has he looked this good, long awaited news for Giants’ fans, who still haven’t seen the pitcher defeat the Dodgers since 2016.

“Been studying stuff and trying to try different things to get to where I want to be which in my mind is a perfect delivery,” Bumgarner said. “I don’t think it’s there but it’s definitely better than it has been. Everything felt much better today than it has in a while.”

Just like Bum’s outing, the game-winning rally was tense. Steven Duggar and Gerardo Parra singled with one out, and Belt struck out with a chance to end it. Manager Dave Roberts then summoned Pedro Baez, who surrendered the searing base hit to Posey that scored Duggar despite a close play at the plate.

The Giants travel to Cincinnati Thursday in preparation for a four-game set with the Reds that starts Friday night. Tyler Beede will make his season debut in a matchup with Sonny Gray, who is 0-4 thus far for the Reds.

Dodgers hit three home runs in 10-3 rout of Giants

Photo credit: @SFGiants

By Jeremy Kahn

SAN FRANCISCO — David Freese did something that is rarely seen at Oracle Park, an opposite field home run by a right-handed batter.

Freese launched a three-run home run in the top of the third inning, helping the Los Angeles Dodgers even up their three-game series with a 10-3 victory over the San Francisco Giants before a crowd of 32,017 at Oracle Park.

It was only the 51st home run by a right-handed batter to right field, and the second this season, as Manny Machado of the San Diego Padres hit one on April 10, 2019 against Dereck Rodriguez.

Left that one up a little bit, said Drew Pomeranz.

The Freese home run was close at first, as it looked like it went off the top of the wall; however, it hit the tin roof in right field.

We heard it hit the tin, said Bruce Bochy.

Despite giving up a run in the bottom of the second inning to San Fernando Valley native Kevin Pillar, Walker Buehler pitched an admirable game for the two-time defending National League Champions.

Buehler went 5.1 innings, allowing three runs, on six hits, walking just one and striking out six on his way to his third win of the season without a loss.

The Dodgers blew the game wide open in the top of the sixth inning, as they scored six runs off of Ty Blach, who was recalled from Sacramento after the Giants placed Derek Holland on the 10-day injured list, retroactively to Saturday.

Blach went 3.1 innings in relief, allowing seven runs on seven hits, walking three and striking out one. He also gave up two home runs in those 3.1 innings.

The seven runs allowed by Blach were the most by a Giants reliever since Matt Cain gave up eight runs in just 0.2 innings on August 27, 2017 against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field.

Chris Taylor hit a two-run double with the bases loaded that scored Cody Bellinger and Freese, and then Austin Barnes doubled to centerfield to score Max Muncy and Taylor.

After Buehler flew out for the second out of the inning, Enrique Hernandez launched a two-run home run into the left field bleachers.

Pillar, who grew up in West Hills, singled to center off of Buehler, to score Brandon Belt, who walked to lead off the bottom of the second inning.

Pomeranz went just four innings, allowing three runs on three hits, walking two and striking out three, as he was saddled with his third loss of the season against one win.

The Giants attempted to put together a rally in the bottom of the sixth inning, as they scored two runs, with the help of Buster Posey and Brandon Belt.

Joe Panik led off the inning with a base hit, then after a strikeout of Yangervis Solarte, Posey doubled in Panik and then Belt tripled to right-center field to easily score Posey from second base.

Justin Turner finally got his first home run of the season, as he launched a solo home run just out of the reach of Pillar in straightway center field to lead off the top of the seventh inning.

Buster Posey extended his hitting streak up to seven games, and 9-for-26 during the streak.

NOTES: Once again, the first inning was not good for the Giants, as they are now 11-for-97 (.113) with five walks in the opening frame.

Gerardo Parras assist on Monday night gave him four on the season, tying him for the most in the National League with Cody Bellinger of the Dodgers. As a team, the Giants lead the major leagues with 11 outfield assists.

Thru their first 30 games of the season, the Giants have not hit a home run in the first three innings. This is the most games in a row that a team has failed to hit a home run in the first three frames since the 1991 St. Louis Cardinals went 34 in a row, and that season, the Cardinals ended up hitting only 68 home runs as a team.

With three more home runs tonight against the Giants, the Dodgers now have 52 home runs on the season, trailing only the Milwaukee Brewers, who have hit 57 on the season.

A.J. Pollock was placed on the 10-day injured list by the Dodgers with elbow inflammation, and the team recalled infielder Matt Beaty from Triple-A Oklahoma City.

Beaty made his major-league debut in the top of the eighth inning, and singled to center off of Blach.

UP NEXT: Madison Bumgarner heads to the mound in the series and home stand finale on Wednesday night for the Giants, while Hyun-Jin Ryu will take the mound for the Dodgers.

Longoria’s Big Hit a Difference-Maker: Giants rally to beat the Dodgers, 3-2

By Morris Phillips

SAN FRANCISCO — The intensity of the North-South rivalry was eerily missing from Oracle Park from the start. Then the Dodgers’ Kenta Maeda kept the Giants in check for five innings, supporting what Clay Bellinger’s been doing all season.

And the Giants seven hits to that point might as well have been distant cousins, they surely didn’t interact, or amount to much more than of parade of stranded baserunners.

Down 2-0, a fourth consecutive loss on the season’s biggest homestand of the season-to-date looked like a distinct possibility. Then in the seventh an opportunity surfaced, and Evan Longoria seized it.

Longoria’s three-run double gave the Giants a lead they would grasp tightly in a 3-2 win that especially for the game’s star was a long time coming.

“The rivalry is a big deal, so it’s a big situation there,” Longoria said. “For me and for this team, every one right now is big. We have a lot of work to do.”

The former Tampa Bay Rays’ star has struggled to reach expectations since being traded to San Francisco at the beginning of last season. On Monday, he started the game on the bench for the second, consecutive day in favor of Pablo Sandoval, who has the struggling team’s only batting average of note. But an injury suffered over the weekend wouldn’t allow the Panda to hit right-handed in the sixth after Maeda departed. That issue forced manager Bruce Bochy to insert Longoria in the sixth, as a pinch-hitter following Buster Posey’s leadoff double.

But reliever Scott Alexander induced Longo to fly out, and the Giants remained scoreless through six.

But in the seventh, Joe Panik singled, Yangervis Solarte doubled, and Brandon Belt drew a walk to load the bases, giving Longoria another shot. Facing reliever Dylan Floro, Longoria delivered a bases-clearing double down the left field line to give the Giants a lead.

“We needed a big hit in that game,” Bochy said. “It was good to have somebody deliver for us in a big way.”

Hopefully, Longoria’s big hit gets him going. The third baseman had just six hits and one RBI at Oracle Park in 12 games prior to getting to Floro. The team has contemplated changes everywhere on the diamond, even with few, obvious options, other than inserting Sandoval at first or third.

But Bochy’s continued to tinker with his lineup and his established patterns nonetheless. Starter Jeff Samardzija lasted just five innings Monday as the team’s brass is weary of exposing the veteran starter to opposing lineups a third time through. So despite allowing two hits and no runs, Samardzija was lifted after just 79 pitches. He remains winless against the Dodgers in seven, career starts.

Brandon Crawford, Kevin Pillar and Gerardo Parra started, but hit sixth, seventh and eighth in deference to their anemic batting averages.

On the other end of the spectrum, Bellinger stayed red hot with two hits, knocking in a run in the sixth, and throwing out Crawford at third as he tried to advance on a hit in the second inning. Bellinger leads all MLB hitters in hits, home runs and batting average after 30 games this season.

Los Angeles’ Walker Buehler and the Giants’ Drew Pomeranz are tabbed to start the second game of the series on Tuesday.

San Francisco Giants podcast with Morris Phillips: Giants-Yankees series review; Giants open up series with Dodgers with a bang

Photo credit: @SFGiants

On the San Francisco Giants podcast with Morris:

#1 The New York Yankees’ Luke Voit was a one-man hitting machine, going 6-12 in the series against the Giants and went 3-4 on Sunday in the Yankees’ 11-5 win over the Giants.

#2 It seemed all series long that the Giants weren’t going to get anything going and they even had first baseman Brandon Belt playing right field during this series.

#3 The Yankees got strong pitching from their starter Domingo German, who pitched six innings and gave up four runs.

#4 It almost looked like once the Yankees scored two runs in each of the first, second and third innings, they grew their confidence?

#5 It’s game one of the three-game series between The Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants, for L.A., Kenta Maeda (3-2, 5.20 ERA), and for San Francisco, Jeff Samardjiza (2-1, 3.00 ERA), Monday night at Oracle Park.

Morris Phillips does the Giants podcasts each Monday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Voit continues hot streak as Yankees sweep Giants with 11-5 win

Photo credit: @SFGiants

By Jeremy Kahn

SAN FRANCISCO — Luke Voit turned Oracle Park into his own batting cage this weekend for the New York Yankees.

Thru his at-bats in the three-game series, Voit went 6-for-12, including going 3-for-4 in the finale and the Yankees completed the three-game series with a 11-5 victory over the San Francisco Giants before a crowd of 34,540 at Oracle Park.

This was the first time this season that the Giants have been on the other end of a series sweep, and have lost their last four home games.

Domingo German pitched six strong innings, as he allowed four runs on five hits, walking one and striking out five on his way to his fifth win of the season.

The Yankees got the scoreboard rolling in the first inning, as Gary Sanchez reached on a fielders choice that scored DJ LeMahieu and Brandon Crawford committed a fielding error.

After the Crawford fielding error, Gleyber Torres grounded into a double play that scored Voit from third base.

Once again, it was that man Voit again, as he hit a two-run single in the top of the second inning that scored Gio Urshela and Tyler Wade.

Torres got in on the act in the top of the third, as he launched a two-run home run over the left-center wall.

After giving back-to-back singles to start the top of the fourth inning, that was the end of the afternoon for Dereck Rodriguez, who went just three innings, allowing six runs (four earned), on seven hits, walking four and striking out three, as he saw his record fall to 3-3 on the season.

The three-innings pitched by Rodriguez matched his second-shortest start of his major league career. Rodriguez allowed tied his career high in hit allowed with seven (fifth time) and walks with four, also the six runs allowed were a career high.

Nick Vincent came on to replace Rodriguez, and was cruising until Sanchez launched a two-run home run that landed deep into the left field bleachers. It was the second home run in as many days for Sanchez, who hit his first career grand slam in Saturdays 6-4 victory.

The Giants literally cut the lead in half in the bottom of the sixth inning, as they scored four runs off of German.

Joe Panik drove in the first run of the game for the Giants, as he drove in Tyler Austin, who walked while pinch-hitting for Vincent.

Pablo Sandoval doubled to center field that scored Yangervis Solarte, who reached on a fielders choice, then after a Brandon Belt single, Pablo Sandoval doubled in Solarte, Crawford lined out to Torres for the second out, but then Kevin Pillar, singled in Belt and Sandoval.

The Yankees tacked on three more runs in the top of the ninth inning, as Cameron Maybin singled in Torres and then Tyler Wade drove in Mike Tauchman and Maybin, who advanced on the throw home.

Pillar led off the bottom of the ninth inning with a home run, his fifth of the season and it was his 18th run batted in of the season, tying his career for most RBIs in one month. He previously drove in 18 runs in June of 2015.

NOTES: Voit extended his on-base streak up to 39 games when he walked in the first inning, as it is the second longest streak by a Yankees player, trailing Mark Teixeiras 42-game streak in 2005. Also, it is the longest current on-base streak in the major leagues.

LeMahieu was forced to leave the game in the bottom of the third inning with inflammation in his right knee, and x-rays were negative.

Urshela left the game in the fourth inning after he was hit by a pitch on his left hand, and x-rays were negative.

The 11 runs scored by the Yankees were the most given by the Giants in any game this season, and as a team, the Yankees outscored the Giants 24-12 in the three-game sweep.

UP NEXT: Jeff Samardzija takes the mound on Monday, as the two-time defending National League Champion Los Angeles Dodgers head to the Bay Area for a three-game series. Kenta Maeda will take the mound for the Dodgers, who are coming off a three-game series sweep of the Pittsburgh Pirates at Dodger Stadium.

Sanchez hits grand slam in Yankees’ 6-4 win over Giants

Photo credit: @SFGiants

By Jeremy Kahn

SAN FRANCISCO — It seems that a trip to the West Coast did not cool off the New York Yankees, despite the fact that they have a major league-high 13 players on the injured list.

Gary Sanchez hit a grand slam into the left-center bleachers, as part of a five run fifth inning and the Yankees would go on to defeat the San Francisco Giants 6-4 in front of 33,971 at Oracle Park.

It was the first career grand slam for Sanchez, his seventh home run of the season and his first since being activated from the injured list on April 24.

J.A. Happ pitched seven strong innings, allowing zero runs on five hits, walking no one and striking out two, as he won for the first time in 2019.

D.J. LeMahieu got the ball rolling for the Yankees in the top of the third inning, as he singled to left field off the glove of Evan Longoria that allowed Cameron Maybin to score from second base.

The Yankees blew the game wide open in the fifth inning, as Derek Holland got roughed up for a five-run inning, as Luke Voit was hit by a pitch that scored LeMahieu and then Sanchez launched his seventh home run of the season.

Cameron Maybin beat out an infield single to Yangervis Solarte, then after a Thairo Estrada single, Happ bunted into a fiedlers choice that retired Maybin at third base, then LeMahieu walked to load the bases, after a Voit hit by a pitch that saw LeMahieu score from third base, Sanchez hit a grand slam that lit up Oracle Park with the throngs of Yankees fans like the Christmas Tree in Rockefeller Plaza.

The Giants as a team could not figure out Happ all day, as they got two hits off the left-hander and lost for the second time in a row against the Bronx Bombers.

Solarte finally got the Giants on the board, as he hit his first home run of the season off of Luis Sessa in the bottom of the ninth inning, as he hit a three-run home run.

It was Solartes first home run as a member of the Giants, and his first home run since July 22, 2018, while playing for the Toronto Blue Jays against the Baltimore Orioles.

Eric Kratz cut the Yankees down to 6-4, as he hit his first home run of the season, and it was the fifth career pinch hit home run for Kratz.

The last time Kratz hit a pinch-hit home run came on August 18, 2014 for the Kansas City Royals against the Minnesota Twins (Anthony Swarzak) at Target Field.

Buster Posey stayed hot, as he went 2-for-4 at the plate, and is hitting .345 (10-for-29) over his last nine games with four doubles and a home run and seven runs batted in.

NOTES: Brandon Belt moved to right field in the eighth inning, as it was the first time that he played in right field since April 23, 2017 and the fourth time in his career.

When Tyler Austin threw out Gleyber Torres at third base, it was the 10th outfield assist of the season for the Giants, breaking the tie for the most in the major leagues. Prior to the Austin assist, the Giants were tied with the defending World Champion Boston Red Sox and the Miami Marlins for the most in the majors with nine.

The Sanchez grand slam was the third that was allowed by Holland, and the first since July 2,2011, while pitching for the Texas Rangers. Hanley Ramirez, then playing for the Florida Marlins launched the grand slam against Holland.

Voits streak of reaching base was extended in that fifth inning when he drove in a run, as he reached on a hit by a pitch by Holland. It was the 37th consecutive game that Voit reached base, and is the second longest streak by a Yankees player since the start of 2005, when Mark Teixeira reached in 42 straight games from June 6-July 26, 2010.

Steven Duggar injured his right wrist when he went for that D.J. LeMahieu foul ball when he ran over the bullpen mound in the top of the first inning of Fridays game.

Tried to balance myself, said Duggar.

UP NEXT: Dereck Rodriguez looks to stop from sweeping the series, as he looks to improve to 4-2 on the season, while Domingo German looks to move to 5-1 on the season for the Yankees.

This will be the first career starts for each starter against their opponents.