Alex Dickerson's Guide to Making Friends:
1. Hit Grand Slam
2. High fives
3. Now you are friends#SFGiants pic.twitter.com/KJibbJWcEG— SFGiants (@SFGiants) June 22, 2019
Immediate returns, that’s what it’s all about. On June 10, the Giants traded Single-A pitching prospect Franklin Van Gurp to the San Diego Padres for 29-year-old outfielder Alex Dickerson, who had three hits in his 19 at-bats with the Padres this season, and was not in the team’s long-term plan nor needs, but who had batted .372 in 26 Triple-A games this season. Read more about the trade here.
Dickerson had not played a game with the Giants until Friday night, on the road against the Arizona Diamondbacks, on a 102-degree outing with the roof open. The cause of the start was an injury to Steven Duggar, who was placed on the 10-day injured list on Friday morning with a lower back strain. The move was met with Dickerson being recalled to the Giants and slotted in seventh to the lineup.
His first at-bat was a single in the second inning, which directly followed a two-run home run from Kevin Pillar which put the Giants up 2-0 after a double from Steven Vogt. His second at-bat came only through pitching mistakes by Diamondbacks starter Taylor Clarke. After Pablo Sandoval was hit by a pitch and Brandon Belt was walked, Clarke secured a second out before walking Pillar.
With the bases loaded and two outs, Dickerson carried out a scenario which every kid dreams about, and scorched a ball over the right-center field fence for a 458-foot grand slam. It put the Giants up 6-0 in the top of the third inning and according to Kerry Crowley, was one of the 10 hardest-hit balls by a Giant this season.
Alex Dickerson's 458-foot grand slam is the longest home run hit by a #SFGiants player this year.
The 110.9 mph exit velo is only the 10th batted ball hit harder than 110 by a Giant this year. It's his second career grand slam.
— Kerry Crowley (@KO_Crowley) June 22, 2019
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