SF Giants: Steven Duggar, Buster Posey Blast Way to 8-5 Victory

After dropping the first four games against the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2021, the SF Giants blasted their way to victory in the fifth matchup on Friday.

SF Giants: Steven Duggar, Buster Posey Blast Way to 8-5 Victory

Not surprisingly, the Dodgers have proven to be the toughest matchup for the Giants so far this season. That is not likely to change at any point this year.

With that being said, San Francisco has been noticeably tougher against the Dodgers in the second series than they were in the first series. The pitching has been better on both sides and the difference has been the long ball in the first two games of the series.

On Friday, the long ball favored the Giants this time as they blasted two home runs. The first one came off of the bat of Steven Duggar. Prior to his blast, the Giants were in a 1-1 tie, and Duggar’s solo shot gave them the one-run advantage.

Duggar has quietly become one of San Francisco’s biggest and best surprises this year. Before the year began, he had seemingly fallen far down the Giants’ depth chart, but hard work from the left-handed bat and patience from the front office is beginning to pay off. On the year, the 27-year-old has slashed .309/.356/.564 with three home runs and nine RBI in 59 plate appearances.

The Dodgers evened the score at two, but a couple of gritty walks by LaMonte Wade Jr. and Mike Yastrzemski paved the way for a seventh-inning rally. With two runners on, Buster Posey came to the plate and swatted a 1-0 offering from Blake Treinen into the left field bleachers. The 34-year-old has 10 home runs on the year, which is his highest home run output since he hit 12 back in 2017.

Posey’s blast gave the Giants the 5-2 advantage, but the bullpen and defense could not hold the lead. Extra innings have not been kind to San Francisco this year, but they did not let them deter them. A pair of clutch hits by LaMonte Wade Jr. and Evan Longoria gave them an 8-5 lead in the tenth inning to seal the deal.

Wade did well atop the Giants lineup by setting the table, reaching base four times in five plate appearances. He saw time at first base tonight, but the Giants have a roster decision coming up with Wilmer Flores returning. Does Wade get optioned back to Sacramento to make room for the veteran bat? That remains to be seen. Nevertheless, the Giants can breathe a sigh of relief after getting their first win against the Dodgers of the season. It was not pretty, but it works.