Devers' three-run homer propels Giants to series victory over Phillies

Justice delos Santos, The Mercury News on Apr 8, 2026

Published in Baseball

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SAN FRANCISCO — Rafael Devers delivered the biggest hit of the young season, a three-run home run off the Phillies’ Aaron Nola that paved the way for a 5-0 win Wednesday afternoon and for San Francisco to take two of three from Philadelphia.

This marks the Giants’ eighth consecutive series victory against the Phillies at Oracle Park, the team’s longest active streak against any opponent.

Devers, who entered play batting .196 with a .543 OPS, also had an RBI single in the bottom of the eighth inning, recording his first multi-RBI game of the season.

Tyler Mahle turned in his best start as a Giant, working around four walks to toss 5 2/3 scoreless innings with six strikeouts, five coming with his splitter.

The Giants (5-8) squandered opportunities with runners in scoring position in the first and fourth innings against Nola, but finally capitalized in the bottom of the sixth.

Willy Adames set the table by legging out a hustle double on a bloop hit that dropped into shallow right field, his fifth double of the series. Luis Arraez followed up by drawing a walk, and after Matt Chapman struck out looking on a call overturned by ABS, Devers stepped to the plate with another opportunity to drive in a fastball.

Nola started Devers with a first-pitch four-seam fastball that leaked over the middle of the plate. Devers sent the pitch over the center-field fence with room to spare, a 411-foot three-run shot. Jerar Encarnacion, playing the role of hype man à la Adames, ran out of the dugout and high-fived everyone on the dugout railing to celebrate the Giants’ 3-0 advantage.

If Devers created a lead, then the bullpen protected it.

The bullpen’s strong effort began with the game still in a scoreless tie. With two outs and a runner on first in the sixth, left-hander Matt Gage entered for Mahle to face the left-handed Brandon Marsh. Gage quickly dispatched Marsh, winning the left-on-left matchup with a swinging strikeout.

Gage returned for the seventh inning, retiring Rafael Marchán but allowing a single to Otto Kemp. With the top of the Phillies’ (6-6) order due up, Tony Vitello went to right-hander Caleb Kilian. Kilain brought the tying run to the plate by walking Trea Turner, but responded by striking out Kyle Schwarber and getting Bryce Harper to ground out, preserving the 3-0 lead.

The Giants are off Thursday before beginning a three-city trip in Baltimore at 7:15 p.m. ET Friday.

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