SAN FRANCISCO - Denard Span has played enough center field at AT&T Park that he knew not to assume anything when Jarrett Parker crushed a ball to dead center. Span, standing on second, held up for a second to make sure the ball got over Nick Williams. Hunter Pence, standing on first, had a better view, and he took off with the crack of the bat. As Pence approached Span, he tried to yell over the crowd.
"Go!" Pence yelled.
Span didn't hear him.
"I just felt him," he said later, smiling.
Span raced around third and Pence roared up on his back like the third sprinter in a 4x100 relay trying to hand off a baton. Span crossed first and Pence was inches behind him, stretching the lead to three runs.
"It's one of those plays that's a little weird but it worked out," Pence said.
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Jeff Samardzija, the pitcher of record in a 5-4 win over the Phillies, said Pence "was on a mission." Span said simply, "That's Hunter being Hunter."
"I knew he was right on my heels," he said. "I was trying to run as fast as I could. In my defense, he had a running start. It was fun, though, it was fun. I've never had anyone chasing me like that on the bases."
The moment brought some levity to a season that's been lacking it. Span laughed as he crossed the plate and the dugout was full of smiles and jokes as the two returned. But on a grander scale, it was a reminder of what Pence has been and what the Giants need him to be if they are to recover from this season. Pence is signed for 2018 at a hefty price. The odds are good that he'll be in right field, so it's been a relief for coaches and team officials to see Pence pick it up in recent weeks.
Pence had a hit and two walks on Thursday, scoring two runs and driving in another. He is batting .346 in August.
"He has just been making more consistent contact and staying in the strike zone more," manager Bruce Bochy said.
That has led to better results at the plate, and Pence has provided reminders that the physical skills are still there. After going 0-for-AT&T Park in the first half he hit a couple of homers on the last homestand. Statcast's Sprint Speed shows that Pence is actually running faster at his top speed than in the past couple of years, when he battled injuries. Pence is at 28.2 feet per second this year, a tick up from 28.1 each of the past two seasons.
"Baseball goes in waves," he said. "I've had some tough stretches, but right now I'm in a stretch where I'm going better and I'm still trying to improve."
On Thursday, he pushed a teammate to run just a little faster. But perhaps Pence's good friend deserves some credit for Span's speed, too. After stealing his fifth base a few days back, Buster Posey started needling Span. The leadoff hitter has three stolen bases in seven games since that point, getting to eight for the year.
"He was just talking too much trash," Span said of Posey.
Span said Posey mentioned their equal stolen base totals two or three times. He didn't respond because he couldn't. Now, he has bragging rights again, and he's enjoying it.
"Check the tapes," Span said as reporters started to walk away from his locker. "I think I've got a stolen base off of him."
