SAN FRANCISCO — The Giants have been no stranger to the walk-off win this season. This one might top them all.
The Giants stunned the Philadelphia Phillies with a 4-3 win on Tuesday night at Oracle Park on Patrick Bailey’s walk-off, three-run, inside-the-park home run, a mad dash that evoked memories of Ángel Pagán’s feat more than a decade ago.
In the bottom of the ninth, San Francisco put runners at the corners with one out on Casey Schmitt’s leadoff double and Wilmer Flores’ single. Brett Wisely would pinch-run for Flores, giving San Francisco speed at first base.
Enter, Bailey. With help from a friendly hop off the right-field bricks, Bailey sprinted 360 feet around the bases to deliver a win.
In his first start since being named to his second All-Star team, Robbie Ray allowed one run over 5 2/3 innings with five strikeouts but three walks. For Ray, it was just his third time since May that he hasn’t pitched at least six innings.
The Giants established an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning when Dominic Smith rolled a check-swing single into left field to drive in Mike Yastrzesmki. For Smith, it was his first RBI since June 17.
Ray found himself in trouble in the top of the third inning when the Phillies put runners on second and third with one out for the heart of their order. Despite the danger, Ray kept Philadelphia scoreless by striking out Kyle Schwarber and getting Bryce Harper to ground out.
With two outs in the top of the sixth, the Phillies’ Otto Lopez knocked Ray out of the ballgame with a double that notched the game up at one apiece.
Spencer Bivens entered for Ray and stranded runners at second and third to keep the game tied at one. Bivens went out for the seventh inning and allowed a two-run homer to Kyle Schwarber that landed in McCovey Cove, giving the Phillies a 3-1 lead.
The Giants had an opportunity to tie the game in the bottom of the eighth when Heliot Ramos and Rafael Devers set the table with a single and a walk, respectively, putting runners on first and second with no outs for the heart of the order. The opportunity went to waste. Willy Adames struck out, Matt Chapman popped out, Mike Yastrzemski flew out, and the inning was over.
The next inning, they’d emerge victorious.
Devers won’t play first base in first half due to back
Manager Bob Melvin said that Devers won’t play first base until the second half at the earliest due to his lingering back injury.
The Giants originally planned for Devers to make his debut at first base during their recent 10-game road trip against the Chicago White Sox, Arizona Diamondbacks and Athletics. With Devers managing both back and groin ailments, San Francisco placed those plans on the back burner. Melvin said the back is currently more of an issue than the groin.
Devers said the back pain started a couple days after he was traded to the Giants from the Boston Red Sox. He’s still taking grounders at first base prior to games as he prepares to make his first appearance at the position.
“It’s nothing serious,” Devers said through team interpreter Erwin Higueros. “I never had back problems. At first, it was just the groin. But all of a sudden I started feeling uncomfortable with the back.”