Devers Crushes 427-Foot Bomb, SF Blanks Cincinnati 5-0
Rafael Devers hit a 427-foot three-run homer to right center that swung SF's win probability from 68% to 88% in a single swing. San Francisco shut out Cincinnati 5-0, with Devers accounting for three of the five runs himself.
San Francisco built this one methodically before Devers blew it open. The Giants scratched across their first run in the first inning when Jung Hoo Lee singled to center, scoring Drew Gilbert and moving Devers to third. Turner Hill then doubled to right, plating Devers — though Lee was thrown out at home trying to make it a three-run frame. Two runs, a baserunning miscue, and a sense that SF was leaving something on the table. That's how the first inning ended: CIN 0, SF 2.
Then came the second inning, and Devers ended the conversation. With Christian Koss and Gilbert on base, Devers launched a 427-foot shot to right center that cleared the bases and pushed the score to 5-0. The win probability swung from 68% to 88% on that one swing. That's the story of the night — not a grinding, multi-inning affair, but a game that Devers personally folded in half. He finished 2-for-4 with a homer, 3 RBI, and 2 runs scored. Gilbert was equally busy on the bases, crossing the plate twice while going 2-for-4. Koss added two hits and a run of his own.
On the mound, SF's pitching staff was quietly excellent. Carson Whisenhunt worked 2.2 innings, allowing 2 hits and no earned runs while striking out three. Ryan Walker followed with 2.0 clean innings — 2 hits, no walks, 2 strikeouts. Jason Foley was particularly sharp in his 1.1 innings of work: no hits, no walks, 3 strikeouts. Cincinnati's Tyler Stephenson was the lone bright spot for the Reds, going 2-for-3, but the offense around him produced nothing. Julian Garcia kept it scoreless for Cincinnati through 2.0 innings, but the Reds' bats never gave him any support to work with. This looks like a night where Cincinnati simply had no answer for a Giants lineup that found its rhythm early and never needed to find it again.