SAN FRANCISCO -- The third batter of the top of the first inning, Juan Soto, hit a solo homer to center. The third batter of the bottom of the inning, J.D. Davis, hit a double off the wall in right and got thrown out at third, suffering a shoulder strain that soon took him out of the game.
It didn't get much better from there for the Giants.
Soto hit two homers, and Seth Lugo allowed just three hits in 8 2/3 innings as the San Diego Padres won 4-0, moving back into a tie for third in the NL West standings. The Giants are once again two games under .500.
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Hmmm. He Likes Oracle?
Soto had his 17th career multi-homer game, going deep to dead center in the first inning and then hitting a blast into the left field bleachers in the seventh. He now has five homers in 18 career games at Oracle Park, and with his all-fields power, he's exactly the type of hitter who wouldn't be too impacted by the ballpark's dimensions.
The Giants went after Soto at the 2022 deadline but didn't have the prospects to keep pace with San Diego's offer. There are rumors that the Padres may make Soto available this winter as they try to cut payroll, although it's hard to see the teams matching up given that they're in the same division. Soto will be a free agent after the 2024 season, though ...
Hidden Ball Trick
San Francisco Giants
During an appearance on the "Giants Talk" podcast earlier this summer, reliever John Brebbia explained why he'll often ask manager Gabe Kapler if he's sure he wants to make a pitching change when he comes out to get Brebbia.
"I'll just double-check," Brebbia said. "I don't think there's any harm in being overly communicative and asking, 'Are you sure?' "
The team's funniest player took things to a new level in the second inning Tuesday. When Kapler came out to call for Alex Wood, Brebbia hid the baseball.
Unfortunately for Brebbia, it didn't work. He was removed, although he did provide some levity on an otherwise tough night.
Rookie Watch
Tyler Fitzgerald nearly picked up his first homer at Oracle Park in the fifth inning, but his line drive to left bounced off the top of the wall. Fitzgerald ended up with a double, which was the highlight of a quiet night for Giants rookies.
Marco Luciano was 0-for-3 and appeared to lose track of how many outs there were on an early groundball to short. Ryan Walker gave up a two-run blast to Soto after coming on in the seventh inning.
The most important rookie news happened before the game. Kyle Harrison was scratched because of an illness, so the Giants went with Brebbia as an opener and Wood as their "bulk innings" guy.