Conforto’s 3-run homer propels Giants to 6-3 win over Phillies
By HENRY SCHULMAN
Associated Press
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Michael Conforto hit his fourth homer in the past six games as part of a six-run second inning for the San Francisco Giants, who beat the Philadelphia Phillies 6-3 on Monday night to snap a three-game skid.
Conforto’s team-leading eighth home run came with two aboard and the Giants trailing 2-1. Wilmer Flores, Mitch Haniger and Brandon Crawford also produced runs in the inning, which matched the Giants’ biggest of the season.
Alec Bohm hit a two-run homer and added a sacrifice fly to drive in all three Phillies runs. He went deep in the second for the only runs in 4 2/3 innings off Giants lefty Alex Wood, who looked sharp in his first start off a hamstring injury but was pulled because of his pitch count one out shy of qualifying for a win.
Bohm, representing the potential tying run, struck out against San Francisco closer Camilo Doval to end the eighth. Doval completed a four-out save, his ninth in 10 opportunities.
Scott Alexander (3-0) worked 1 1/3 hitless innings, needing only eight pitches to get four outs.
The Giants had already scored once in the second against left-hander Bailey Falter (0-7) when Conforto hit a first-pitch fastball the other way, just inside the left-field foul pole, to give San Francisco a 4-2 lead. J.D. Davis extended the rally with a two-out double. Haniger and Crawford added RBI singles.
Conforto thought the extension of the rally beyond his homer was a good sign because the Giants have not been able to cash in many opportunities when they don’t hit the ball out of the ballpark.
“That’s kind of what we’re working toward,” Conforto said. “Not just rely on the homer, but manufacture runs, bring guys in, just hitting singles all over the place. We’ve got great hitters who can work the count and not try to do too much and create some damage out there with just singles and doubles.”
Conforto had 17 consecutive homerless games before starting his run of four long balls in six games.
Giants manager Gabe Kapler kept saying Conforto was “just a tick off” and bound to take off after a very slow start to the season.
“He has a mechanically sound swing, the ability to drive the ball to all fields and (makes) good swing decisions,” Kapler said. “It’s just a matter of time for hitters like that.”
All six runs in the inning were unearned after second baseman Bryson Stott dropped a throw from shortstop Trea Turner on a potential force play.
“Stott’s been playing so well,” Phillies manager Rob Thomson said. “It just popped out of his glove”
Bryce Harper singled and scored on Bohm’s sacrifice fly in the sixth to cut the Giants’ lead to 6-3. Harper was the Phillies’ designated hitter a day after he was ejected in Colorado for charging toward the Rockies’ dugout, leading to a scrum between the teams.
An angry Harper was trying to confront Rockies reliever Jake Bird, who celebrated the final out of the seventh inning by clapping his glove with his bare hand and yelling toward the Philadelphia dugout.
STAY HOT
Giants second baseman Casey Schmitt went 2 for 4, his fifth multi-hit game in the first seven of his career.
SCHEDULE CHANGE
The Phillies and Atlanta Braves have agreed to move their Sept. 14 game in Philadelphia to Monday, Sept. 11, to avoid a conflict with an NFL game between the Philadelphia Eagles and Minnesota Vikings. The Phillies’ and Eagles’ stadiums are across the street from one another.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Giants: OF Joc Pederson landed on the 10-day injured list for the second time this season. He missed nine games in April with a right wrist injury and now the same hand is bruised after being hit by a pitch in Arizona on Friday night. The move is retroactive to May 13. OF Mike Yastrzemski was activated from the IL after missing 14 games with a left hamstring strain.
UP NEXT
Giants right-hander Alex Cobb brings his NL-leading 1.70 ERA to the mound Tuesday night, facing Phillies righty Zack Wheeler.
___
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
