D. Ross Cameron-USA TODAY Sports
It was the type of home run kids dream about. Not just its very existence, but its context within the game.
Jason Vosler’s eighth-inning shot followed up Austin Slater’s two-run homer that touched the moon, the first tying the game, Vosler’s creeping the Giants ahead in a game they had been losing since the second Diamondbacks hitter of the night.
If it’s the sort that kids spend lifetimes dreaming about, it also was the sort that barely happened in Vosler’s mind.
“I would be lying if I really told you that I remembered all of it,” the 27-year-old said after his first career home run became a game-winner in the Giants’ 5-4 victory at Chase Field on Wednesday. “Kind of a blur right now. I remember going up to the at-bat, I remember the approach through the at-bat, but once I hit the ball — I don’t remember much after that.”
He will have a good time seeing a clip that no one can take away from him. A club that prides itself on working long at-bats turned to Vosler after first Brandon Belt was placed on the injured list and then Darin Ruf strained his right hamstring. Vosler had been called up from Sacramento earlier Wednesday, jumped into the game and stepped up to bat for his 16th major league plate appearance of his life. It was his best.
Jason Vosler’s first-career HR puts the Giants ahead in the 8th ?
pic.twitter.com/gEN5vL6hYY— KNBR (@KNBR) May 27, 2021
The lefty hitter fell behind 0-2 against lefty Alex Young, then watched a curve move its way out of the strike zone. He fouled off two more curves and a four-seamer before a couple balls ran the count full. Young tried to sneak a fastball by him, but he hammered it directly into Jake McGee’s glove in the Giants bullpen beyond the right-field wall.
He was asked if he could describe the battle. He cautioned.
“If any of my information is wrong about that, just know I kind of blacked it out a little bit,” said Vosler, who debuted this year.
He should not need much bribery to get the ball back from McGee. It’s in a case, and he’ll be taking the lineup card, too.
The Giants needed him after not one but two first basemen went down, and in what has become a primary story of the season, a reserve player stepped up. He went back-to-back with Slater, who himself was pinch-hitting for Alex Dickerson.
“That’s probably the clutchest first homer that I’ve seen,” Slater said.
It also was among the most exciting. Gabe Kapler played with Evan Longoria in his Tampa heyday, and he’s now managed him for a season-plus. When Vosler got ahold of the pitch, the Giants manager had never seen his third baseman like this.
“I can’t remember the last time I heard and saw Longoria so excited,” Kapler said. “I’ve seen him have game-winning home runs where he wasn’t as excited as he was for Vos right there. And that’s how you know how people feel about one of their teammates.”
Ruf, who went widely around first and was thinking double before slamming on the brakes in the sixth inning, will get an MRI Thursday.
He was expected to get a long run as the first baseman because Belt is supposed to be out 10-14 days, and the timing is tough for a player who predominantly has come off the bench.
“You can’t help the timing on these things,” Ruf said, “but it was definitely frustrating knowing that I was going to hopefully be in there more often and help the team.”
If Ruf misses time, which is expected, Kapler said they “will take a look at all of our first-base options.” That could include Slater, who has played the infield in the past but whom they have tried to only play in the outfield this season.
Logan Webb “looked great” in his bullpen session, Kapler said, and thus the righty will be activated this weekend and will make a start against the Dodgers.
The Giants will line up Alex Wood on Thursday, Anthony DeSclafani on Friday, Webb Saturday and Kevin Gausman — against Clayton Kershaw — on Sunday.
For now at least, Scott Kazmir will move to the bullpen.