Verlander gets first victory as Devers bombs Braves

The Giants put up nine runs for the second straight game and their 42-year-old future Hall of Famer picked up Win No. 262 in a 9-3 romp in Atlanta

Justin Verlander hadn’t won a start since September 28 last season. The San Francisco Giants hadn’t scored nine run in back-to-back games since May 18, 2024. Both those streaks ended as Rafael Devers homered twice as the Giants defeated the Atlanta Braves, 9-3.

At first, it looked like Verlander might not get out of the first inning, much less win his first game of the season. He walked the bases loaded and threw 40 pitches before getting Michael Harris to fly out to end the threat. But once he escaped, the wild-but-effective Verlander gave up only one hit in the next four innings, even with two more walks, a hit-by-pitch, and a wild pitch.

There was a clear sign that things were about to go the Giants’ way when the 4th inning ended up with a stellar defensive play by Mr. Heliot Ramos, who made a diving catch in left field to rob the deliciously-named Nacho Alvarez, Jr.

If Ramos can deliver a Web Gem, then surely the Giants could deliver a future Hall of Famer a single victory! They did in the top of the next inning, when Devers took Braves starter Spencer Strider (4-8) deep. The ball really had no business going out, as Devers seemed to be fighting off Strider’s low-and-inside 3-2 slider, only to end up hitting a 362-foot chip shot over the right field wall.

After Strider drilled Willy Adames, he left a fastball up to Matt Chapman, who hit it out for his 14th home run of the season and a 3-0 lead.

Chapman had to leave the game after he was hit in the elbow in the 7th, though he stayed in the game to run the bases and score his second run. After the game, X-rays on the elbow were negative. The Giants hope the sore elbow doesn’t slow down Chapman, who is 7-for-15 with five runs, seven RBIs and two homers in his last three games, slashing .467/.556/.1.067.

The Braves brought in Dylan Dodd to pitch the 6th, and the Giants treated him similarly as they did Davis Daniel on Tuesday, and would treat Dane Dunning an inning later. Patrick Bailey continued his hot hitting with a double, and continued his adventurous base running by getting throw out at third base on a grounder to shortstop.

But after Ramos singled, Dodd made the mistake of buzzing Devers with a fastball high and inside. Devers muscled his next pitch out to right for a three-run home run and a 6-0 Giants lead.

In the 7th, the rest of the lineup got into the action to extend the lead against Dunning, the Braves’ third Double-D. Chapman’s HBP and Mike Yastrzemski’s second walk of the game set the table for RBI singles from Dominic Smith and Luis Matos, plus an RBI groundout from Bailey that went about 67 feet.

The 9-0 lead was very safe even for the Giants’ tired and depleted bullpen, even when Sean Hjelle gave up three runs in the bottom of the 7th after three singles loaded the bases and Drake Baldwin hit a ground rule double. But Joey Lucchesi and Tyler Rogers got through an uneventful 8th and 9th inning and the Giants headed home with only a 2-4 road trip and a series win.

It’s easy to credit the hot weather in Atlanta for the Giants’ offensive explosion, but they outscored the Braves 18-3, as the opposing hitters swung the bats through the exact same warm air. They get a travel day Thursday before the next two weeks bring a double home-and-home with the New York Mets and Pittsburgh Pirates, which could lead to four repeated starting pitcher matchups in two weeks. Get ready for Robbie Ray vs. David Peterson, sports fans!

The second half of the season started off as a disaster. It’s amazing what putting up nine runs per game will do to a team’s attitude.