Giants put on power display against Phillies
PHILADELPHIA -- Matt Duffy delivered an opposite-field liner to right. Justin Maxwell pulled a titanic clout to the second deck in left field. Finally, Buster Posey stroked a soaring, straightaway drive to center.
The variety in the three home runs the Giants amassed in their 5-4 victory Friday night over the Philadelphia Phillies reflected the nature of their collective power. Virtually everybody in the lineup is capable of going deep. Six different Giants have hit at least four homers.
"It definitely lengthens the lineup," Posey said.
Posey's team-leading ninth homer not only broke a 4-4 tie in the seventh inning, but also capped a 2-for-4 evening that interrupted a 4-for-28 slump.
Video: SF@PHI: Giants retake the lead on Posey's solo homer
"I really don't feel like I've been that far off," Posey said. "So it was nice to get a couple of hits tonight and contribute."
With 46 homers in 56 games, the Giants are on pace to finish with 133, only one more than last year. But that 2014 club had Michael Morse and Pablo Sandoval, who each belted 16.
This season, Brandon Crawford already has eight homers, just two short of his personal best. Brandon Belt also has a fair chance at surpassing the career high of 17 homers which he reached in 2013. Posey's likely to top 20 homers. And Hunter Pence is almost guaranteed to reinforce the team's punch.
The most startling power source is the slender Duffy, who's listed at 6-foot-2 and 170 pounds. Only hitters with legitimate pop can propel pitches to the opposite field as he did off Phillies starter Jerome Williams in the second inning.
Video: SF@PHI: Duffy cuts the deficit with a solo homer
"Duffy's been really fun to watch," Posey said. "He's one of those fast-twitch [muscle] guys who drives the ball to all fields."
When the muscular Maxwell connects, it tends to travel long distances. Having lost playing time when Pence recovered from his broken left arm and rejoined the lineup in mid-May, Maxwell has resorted to various means to maintain his stroke.
During San Francisco's last homestand, reserves such as he, Gregor Blanco and Joaquin Arias retire to the batting cage located down the dugout tunnel in the middle innings, fire up the pitching machine to about 95 mph and take their hacks to prepare themselves for pinch-hitting duty.
"You have to find ways to stay sharp, and that's one of them," said Maxwell, who started his second game in a row while Pence nurses a sore left wrist.
Maxwell's two-run homer in Friday's fifth inning not only gave him positive feedback but also provided his teammates with a lift, since it erased Philadelphia's 3-1 lead.
"It kind of woke us up and snapped you back into the focus of the game," said right-hander Tim Lincecum, who was suitably impressed by the distance of Maxwell's homer.
Asked if Lincecum shared those thoughts with him, Maxwell said, "He didn't tell me personally. He just kind of gave me a hug and told me that was awesome -- in the dugout and after the game."