Austin powers up for 2 dramatic HRs at Coors

DENVER -- It was about as “Coors Field” of a game as one could get, with a temperature of 39 degrees at first pitch and steady snow falling in the early innings as if to underscore that description before 23 runs were scored in nine innings.

But not even Coors Field could detract from the two home runs Tyler Austin hit during the Giants’ 12-11 loss to the Rockies on Thursday afternoon.

The two homers -- one a two-run shot in the third, and the other a three-run, game-tying shot in the sixth -- traveled a combined 858 feet, and they would have been long gone in any ballpark. They were the first two homers of the season for Austin, and his first two as a Giant after San Francisco acquired him from the Twins on April 8.

“Getting the first one out of the way, it’s big,” Austin said. “Hopefully there’s many more to come.”

It was wet, it was cold, and it was getaway day for the Giants, who headed home for a weekend series against the Reds following the loss. Not an ideal situation to get your first start in nearly a week.

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“Over the last couple years, I’ve never really been a guy to wear long sleeves,” Austin said. “But in the first inning, it was like, what’s happening? I’ve never had anything like that before.”

He may not have played in snow before, but he has dealt with his share of adversity.

Austin grew up a Yankees fan, and thanks to his grandmother, Derek Jeter was his hero even though he grew up 20 minutes outside Atlanta. So it was a thrill to be selected by the Yankees in the 13th round of the 2010 Draft out of high school.

He was off to a great start in 2011, hitting .354/.418/.579 with six homers and 18 steals in 47 games between Rookie level and Low-A Staten Island before being sidelined by injury. The next year, he continued to produce at the plate, posting a .960 OPS across three levels -- Class A Charleston, Class A Advanced Tampa and Double-A Trenton.

But an injury derailed Austin’s 2013 campaign, and after getting back into the lineup his progress stalled and injury struck several more times until 2016, when with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, he posted a 1.051 OPS over 57 games and found himself in the Majors by August.

Austin has always had a knack for the dramatic. In the batter’s box at Yankee Stadium for his first plate appearance, he launched a solo home run over the right-field wall before Aaron Judge followed with the first homer of his career, also in his first at-bat. Three weeks later, Austin hit a walk-off home run to lift the Yankees over the Rays.

After his big splash in late ’16, Austin was in position to compete for the starting first-base job come spring, but he fractured his left foot, and that never materialized. Last season, New York traded for Luke Voit, making Austin expendable. He was traded to the Twins, and in his first game with his new club, he homered in a 4-3 victory.

The big moments are nothing new for Austin. It’s just that they have come between periods of injury and sporadic playing time, making it difficult to establish himself as the everyday player he envisions.

So it goes in San Francisco.

“I’ve had some unfortunate things happen in my career, and I’ve had some really great things happen in my career,” Austin said. “It’s not really [any easier after enduring multiple setbacks]. It’s tough. You want to be out there grinding with the guys every day, and fighting and trying to help the team win any way you can.”

Partly due to a right elbow injury earlier this season, Austin has yet to get the reps in left field that the Giants would like him to, so the club can play him there while playing Brandon Belt at first base. And now that Mac Williamson has emerged, even the corner outfield spots are no guarantee for Austin.

But he’s been here before.

“I’m controlling what I can,” he said. “If my name’s in the lineup in left, I’ll go out and do it. If it’s at first, whatever the case may be.”

Austin has had his moments. But Thursday was perhaps the first time he was asked if he ever thought about Jeter’s own flair for the dramatic while rounding the bases following a clutch homer or two.

“Nah, I haven’t thought about that,” Austin said. “I truly haven’t. But he had a lot of big ones.”

Judging by Austin’s penchant for them, there might be a few more moments left in his bat, too.