The San Francisco Giants delivered a much-needed victory Sunday afternoon, defeating the Tampa Bay Rays 7–1 behind a dominant outing from Logan Webb and a late-game offensive surge, sparked by Dominic Smith’s three-run double, followed by back-to-back home runs from Drew Gilbert and Tyler Fitzgerald.
Webb gave San Francisco everything it hoped for. The right-hander silenced Tampa Bay’s lineup across seven innings, allowing just three hits and striking out seven without issuing a walk. Leaning on his sinker and off-speed mix, Webb consistently generated weak contact, and his defense backed him throughout.
Most notably, a spectacular sliding grab in center field by Jung Ho Lee in the fourth robbed Yandy Díaz of extra bases and preserved the scoreless tie. Lee fumbled the ball in his glove while sliding, and as it bobbled, he ended up securing it between his knees. Commentators called it the “catch of the decade.” Webb improved to 11–9 on the season, lowering his ERA to 3.19.
For five innings, Giants hitters were stymied by Rays starter Ryan Pepiot, who racked up eight strikeouts and allowed just two hits. But in the sixth, San Francisco finally broke through. With two outs, the Giants strung together four straight baserunners: Willy Adames walked to load the bases, and Dominic Smith ripped a line-drive double down the first-base line to clear them. Christian Koss followed with an RBI double to left, stretching the lead to 4–0 and ending Pepiot’s afternoon.
Webb gave San Francisco everything it hoped for. The right-hander silenced Tampa Bay’s lineup across seven innings, allowing just three hits and striking out seven without issuing a walk. Leaning on his sinker and off-speed mix, Webb consistently generated weak contact, and his defense backed him throughout.
Most notably, a spectacular sliding grab in center field by Jung Ho Lee in the fourth robbed Yandy Díaz of extra bases and preserved the scoreless tie. Lee fumbled the ball in his glove while sliding, and as it bobbled, he ended up securing it between his knees. Commentators called it the “catch of the decade.” Webb improved to 11–9 on the season, lowering his ERA to 3.19.
For five innings, Giants hitters were stymied by Rays starter Ryan Pepiot, who racked up eight strikeouts and allowed just two hits. But in the sixth, San Francisco finally broke through. With two outs, the Giants strung together four straight baserunners: Willy Adames walked to load the bases, and Dominic Smith ripped a line-drive double down the first-base line to clear them. Christian Koss followed with an RBI double to left, stretching the lead to 4–0 and ending Pepiot’s afternoon.
The Giants piled on in the seventh with a pair of long-awaited power swings. Rookie Drew Gilbert launched his first career major league home run, a 384-foot drive to right that electrified the Oracle Park crowd. Tyler Fitzgerald followed with a 398-foot blast into the left-center bleachers, giving San Francisco back-to-back homers and a commanding 6–0 lead.
An inning later, Pat Bailey lined a single to right and scored on Gilbert’s second RBI of the day, pushing the margin to 7–1. Tampa Bay’s lone answer came in the top half, when Hunter Feduccia drew a walk and later crossed the plate on Yandy Díaz’s RBI grounder. The Rays finished with just five hits and went 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position.
Pepiot, who had dominated the Giants early, was charged with six earned runs in 5.2 innings to fall to 8–10. The Giants’ bullpen — Tristan Beck and Keaton Winn — closed the door with two clean frames.
For a team mired in its worst home stretch in franchise history, the victory provided both relief and a glimpse of the formula they needed: dominant starting pitching, timely hits, and youthful energy from players like Gilbert, Fitzgerald, and Lee.
Postgame, manager Bob Melvin praised Gilbert’s milestone, saying, “You feel like you kind of belong.”
The win improved San Francisco to 60–64. The Giants now turn to a critical divisional matchup with the Padres in San Diego starting Monday night, hoping Sunday’s performance marked a turning point in their late-season struggles.
An inning later, Pat Bailey lined a single to right and scored on Gilbert’s second RBI of the day, pushing the margin to 7–1. Tampa Bay’s lone answer came in the top half, when Hunter Feduccia drew a walk and later crossed the plate on Yandy Díaz’s RBI grounder. The Rays finished with just five hits and went 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position.
Pepiot, who had dominated the Giants early, was charged with six earned runs in 5.2 innings to fall to 8–10. The Giants’ bullpen — Tristan Beck and Keaton Winn — closed the door with two clean frames.
For a team mired in its worst home stretch in franchise history, the victory provided both relief and a glimpse of the formula they needed: dominant starting pitching, timely hits, and youthful energy from players like Gilbert, Fitzgerald, and Lee.
Postgame, manager Bob Melvin praised Gilbert’s milestone, saying, “You feel like you kind of belong.”
The win improved San Francisco to 60–64. The Giants now turn to a critical divisional matchup with the Padres in San Diego starting Monday night, hoping Sunday’s performance marked a turning point in their late-season struggles.
Chongwoo Chang / chongwoo.chang@baynewslab.com
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