During the seventh-inning stretch, a young fan in an orange Giants jersey did the worm in the bleachers.
In nationally televised game, on a day in which the Giants celebrated a legend with a pregame Wall of Fame ceremony, as the Giants held their own against the class of MLB, there was plenty to dance for.
Rookies Casey Schmitt, Patrick Bailey, Luis Matos and Tristan Beck impressed. Veterans J.D. Davis, Austin Slater and the Rogers twins supported them.
In front of franchise royalty of the past, the Giants (67-63) avoided a series sweep with an impressive, all-around performance in an 8-5 win. It was the type of effort necessary to beat the Braves, and to get the Giants where they want to go.
Before first pitch, the Giants honored Mike Murphy, who retired this year after 65 years with the Giants organization. A bat boy, Barry Bonds’ babysitter, and clubhouse manager, Murphy had been with the Giants since they moved to San Francisco in 1958.
Over 40 Giants alumni — from 1954 World Series champion Joey Amalfitano to Bonds, Brian Wilson and Buster Posey — gathered to celebrate Murphy.
Will Clark retold one of Murphy’s favorite sayings: I’ll be here when you get here, and I’ll be there when you’re gone.
“You are, by far, the most Forever Giant person there is,” Ryan Vogelsong said.
After Murphy threw out the ceremonial first pitch to current clubhouse manager Brad Grems and rode around Oracle Park in a classic convertible, the action began.
Beck, in his first start as a big-leaguer, tossed four perfect innings against the most dangerous lineup in baseball. The lanky right-hander fanned four the first time through the order, relying on both his sweeper and slider to keep Braves batters guessing.
While Beck cruised against the team that drafted him, San Francisco’s offense supported him.
J.D. Davis delivered what has become a rare occurrence for the Giants: a two-out hit with a man in scoring position. Then, with a 1-0 lead, Casey Schmitt ended a brutal home run drought in the second inning.
Schmitt sent a Jared Shuster changeup halfway up the left-field bleachers for a no-doubter. The rookie infielder homered in two of his first three MLB games, but then went homerless for 71 games and 220 plate appearances.
Schmitt’s first bomb since May 11 had a scorching exit velocity of 107.7 mph — the sixth-hardest hit ball of his career.
Beck had been a starting pitcher his whole life before this season. He had to adjust to life in the bullpen, with changing routines, unpredictable assignments and shorter bursts. But the rookie has never complained about the shift, embracing any opportunity.
Through 28 games before Sunday, Beck had posted a 3.34 ERA. The Stanford product really just had four poor outings total.
Beck lost his perfect game when he walked Matt Olson to lead off the fifth inning. Two batters later, Eddie Rosario stole his no-hitter with a double off the left-center wall.
Atlanta tied the game on Travis d’Arnaud’s single, and then Beck exited at 70 pitches after an infield single. While not perfect, the start gave him a case to join SF’s starting rotation.
Nicky Lopez singled in another run, but a spectacular defensive play held Atlanta’s advantage to 3-2.
To end the inning, the Giants turned a 3-1-4-2 double play. J.D. Davis first flipped to Scott Alexander, who was sprinting over to cover first. In one, bare-handed motion, Alexander underhanded it to Thairo Estrada on first, who made a heads-up play to fire home, where Patrick Bailey swiped a no-look, run-saving tag.
With the combination of instincts, athleticism, hand-eye coordination and magic, the Giants stayed close. Then with patience and precision, they regained the lead.
In another two-out rally, the Giants scored four in the bottom of the fifth. Luis Matos and Austin Slater got hits, Wilmer Flores and J.D. Davis walked, and Bailey cleared the bases with a double to right.
A 6-3 lead usually isn’t enough against the mighty Braves, though.
Marcell Ozuna beat a well-placed Scott Alexander for a two-run homer, cutting San Francisco’s lead to 6-5 in the sixth. Ozuna’s blast gave Atlanta 244 home runs as a team; no other club has more than 200.
In a second half in which big innings have been so hard to come by for the Giants, they needed another one. And they got one.
Austin Slater reached base for a fourth time, driving in a run with a lined single up the middle. A bunt single from Thairo Estrada stretched SF’s lead to 8-5. That’s what the scoreboard read as fans enjoyed the seventh-inning stretch.
Taylor Rogers earned a standing ovation for his 500th career strikeout in the second Rogers-led scoreless frame in a row, and then Camilo Doval struck out two to snap his blown-save streak.
Although the Giants have a series against the playoff-contending Reds coming up, they’re finally through the most grueling stretch of their schedule. They’ve gone from 12 games over .500 on Aug. 4 to four games above .500 now.
Despite the struggles, San Francisco remains in the middle of a tight wild card race. If they can consistently play like they did on Sunday, they’ll have a ball.
