NEW YORK – There was an offensive eruption for the Giants on Saturday at Citi Field. That’s because Rafael Devers and Christian Koss powered San Francisco to a 9-5 victory over the Mets.
Devers entered the game as San Francisco’s hottest hitter, going 19-for-46 (.413) with seven home runs and 18 RBIs in his previous 12 games. In Saturday’s contest, Devers showed once again who was boss. In the first inning against left-hander Zac Thornton, Devers gave the Giants a 1-0 lead by hitting a 2-0 pitch into the right-field seats.
New York then took a 2-1 lead against Giants right-hander Anthony Molina in the bottom of the second, when A.J. Ewing hit a two-run homer over the right-center-field fence. But it was all San Francisco after that.
In the third, Koss, who had just one home run in 138 at-bats entering the game, gave San Francisco the lead with a two-run dinger off Thornton.
San Francisco had its way with Thornton two innings later. Koss played Superman once again and hit a solo homer over the left-field wall to make it 4-2. It was his first multihomer game since Aug. 5, 2021, when he hit three taters while playing for High-A Greenville, a Red Sox affiliate.
“I would be happy to [hit homers] against anyone. I think the game plan is, hit the ball hard and hope good things happen,” Koss said. “You get two of them and I’m glad to help the team win today.”
Two batters later, Devers showed why he is the man in San Francisco. He slugged another homer, this one a two-run shot into the left-field seats for his 35th homer of the season.
“Devers is doing his thing, but just happy for Koss because he is a guy who hits anything that comes his way and deserves to come his way,” Giants manager Tony Vitello said. ”He struck some balls well. In the last 10 games, he has driven some to the wall, but hasn’t been able to get it over the wall like he did today. The guy plays his butt off every day.”
By hitting that long ball, Devers put himself in the Giants’ record book. In a six-game span, Devers has six homers and seven walks. Since at least 1900, Devers joins Barry Bonds (2004) and Willie Mays (1958) as the only Giants with six or more homers and seven or more walks in that same span in a season.
Asked if this was one of his best streaks during his 10 years in the big leagues, through interpreter Erwin Higueros, Devers said, “I really don’t pay attention to my numbers. I just come over here, show up every day and work every single day.”
Osleivis Basabe joined the home run parade in the eighth. This time it was against left-hander Jefry Yan, who surrendered a two-run homer over the left-field fence. Grant McGray hit the sixth long ball of the day in the ninth off Justin Hagenman.
“It’s really good to see them contribute because it’s a very young team. It’s really good to see the young kids taking every pitch and executing very well,” Devers said.
According to Vitello, the Giants had a good game plan before the game. In the hitters’ meeting, he remembered the positive vibes in the room.
“We were having some fun, and they were determined to pick up where we left off last night,” he said. “We didn’t get a win, but we forced them to use their closer and we had momentum toward the end of the [10-6 loss]. It carried over into today.”
Molina took advantage of the run support by winning his third game as a member of the Giants. He pitched five innings, allowed two runs – none earned – and struck out six batters.
“Strikes, strikes,” Vitello said. “The biggest thing I get from watching him pitch, he is a good example for the young kids. Wherever he is going, he goes up, down, side to side. He goes with conviction.”