SF Giants stay hot with home run barrage in LA

First, it was new acquisition Lewis Brinson. Then, trade-deadline pickup J.D. Davis got into the act. They were joined by Thairo Estrada, rookie David Villar and, to cap the night, Brinson again.

In all, the SF Giants launched five home runs Monday night in their series opener at National League West division-leading Los Angeles. Though the round-trippers were of the solo and two-run variety, it was enough to push the Orange and Black to a win against the Dodgers, 7-4.

The victory comes on the heels of the Giants dismantling the Philadelphia Phillies for a three-game sweep over the weekend, a set that ended with a Wilmer Flores walk-off home run.

Logan Webb started for the Giants and was rocky at times, allowing a two-run homer in the first inning - though just one run was earned in the frame thanks to a throwing error - and another run in the fourth after his offense started to break the game open.

SF Giants shine on defense

After the first-inning error, the Giants turned things around and helped their pitcher. Brandon Crawford was a big piece of the defensive rebound, first corralling a bounced throw from catcher Austin Wynns to tag out Trea Turner on a delayed stolen base attempt in the third inning when Turner was safe but popped off the bag for a split-second, then firing a relay to retire Austin Barnes at the plate by plenty trying to score on a Mookie Betts double in the fifth.

With the Giants trailing, 2-0, entering the third, Villar led off with a single. After an out, Brinson hammered a pitch to straightaway center field to tie the game. Two batters later it was Davis with a solo blast.

The top of the fourth was similar, with Estrada launching his 12th home run of the season leading off and Villar going the opposite way with one out and Brandon Crawford on base for a 6-2 advantage.

Webb allowed three hits and a run but stranded two in scoring position with a strikeout of former MVP Cody Bellinger. He would finish with seven hits and no walks over six innings, two earned runs and six strikeouts.

The Dodgers pulled within two on a solo home run by Barnes in the seventh, but Brinson got the run back in the ninth with his second of the night.

With the win, the Giants snapped an eight-game losing streak to their rivals and pulled to 7.5 games back of the final Wild Card spot with 29 games to play.