SAN FRANCISCO — Jared Jones has emerged as a standout in baseball’s early season, dominating opposing hitters with a fastball reaching nearly 100 mph and a formidable slider. However, in Sunday’s game, it was the Giants who showcased the most effective rookie right-hander on the mound.
Keaton Winn delivered six shutout innings, extending the momentum for a rotation that has allowed just four earned runs over the past seven games. With Thairo Estrada and Mike Yastrzemski hitting back-to-back homers in the fourth inning, Winn secured a lead, and the Giants clinched a 3-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates at Oracle Park.
Camilo Doval, pitching for the third consecutive day, encountered some trouble in the ninth inning, conceding a run and placing two runners on base for former teammate Joey Bart. Despite Bart attempting to check his swing on a slider, he hit a slow roller to short, enabling Doval to escape the jam and secure his fifth save.
Concluding their longest homestand of the season with a 6-4 record, the Giants notched series wins against the New York Mets and Pirates, and split with the Arizona Diamondbacks. Now, they embark on a three-city road trip, with Logan Webb slated to start Tuesday night at Fenway Park.
Here are three more noteworthy points from the game:
Winn’s Performance:
While Jung Hoo Lee and Kyle Harrison garnered preseason attention, Winn has emerged as a standout rookie for the Giants. His latest strong outing lowered his ERA to 3.18, placing him tied with Jones for fourth among NL rookies.
Winn surrendered a leadoff single to Ke’Bryan Hayes but permitted only two additional hits over six innings. He issued one walk and struck out five, including all three batters he faced in a dominant third inning.
Winn currently ranks fourth among NL rookies in strikeouts, trailing Harrison by one spot. Since allowing a grand slam to Jurickson Profar on April 6, Winn has surrendered just five runs in 28 innings.
Back-to-Back Homers:
In contrast to their previous three games, where they scored just two runs in the first eight innings, the Giants wasted no time in making an impact in Sunday’s game. Estrada led off the third inning with a powerful homer, followed by Yastrzemski’s blast to dead center on a 98-mph fastball from Jones.
This marked the first time the Giants hit back-to-back homers since Sept. 8, when Wilmer Flores, Mitch Haniger, and J.D. Davis achieved the feat against the Colorado Rockies. Estrada’s homer was his fourth of the season, trailing Michael Conforto and Jorge Soler by one for the team lead, while Yastrzemski notched his second homer of the homestand.
Fitzgerald’s Contribution:
Tyler Fitzgerald made a significant impact following the back-to-back homers, finishing 3-for-3 with a double in the seventh inning. Fitzgerald’s pop-up in the seventh inning resulted in a double after two Pirates lost sight of it in the sun. He replaced Nick Ahmed in the lineup, who sustained a hand injury on Saturday but is expected to return for Tuesday’s game in Boston. Fitzgerald, a utility player, continues to impress with a .313 batting average and a team-leading four stolen bases.
Manager Bob Melvin strategically utilized days off during the homestand due to the Giants playing 13 consecutive games. Despite the challenging road ahead, with a 10-game road trip against the Red Sox, Phillies, and Rockies, the Giants aim to maintain their competitive edge.
