DENVER -- It was one game and it took place at Coors Field. So you take the 14 runs the Giants scored with a grain of salt.
But you didn't have to squint hard on Tuesday to see what actually appeared to be a heart of the lineup, and you didn't have to look hard at all to see the difference. Mac Williamson homered and drove in four runs in his return to the big league club. Right in front of him, Brandon Belt had two hits and Evan Longoria hit a homer. Behind him, Brandon Crawford had two hits and two RBI and Kevin Pillar homered.
The Giants will never be mistaken for an offensive juggernaut, but they looked deeper than they have all season. They beat the Rockies 14-4, scoring all but one of the runs with two outs. The 13 two-out runs marked their most since they moved to San Francisco, per Elias.
"You have to be encouraged," manager Bruce Bochy said. "These guys are starting to see the ball better and swing better. Mac is going to give us depth and more power. It's got a little more fear factor, that's fair to say, with Mac in there."
Williamson brought that factor nearly right away. A night after homering three times, he needed just two at-bats to get going. He grounded out to the pitcher in his first trip back, but two innings later came up with two on and two outs.
Antonio Senzatela threw a breaking ball that hung over the inner half of the plate and Williamson turned on it, smashing a three-run shot into the seats in left.
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Return of Mac: pic.twitter.com/QlIJLlrfdH— Alex Pavlovic (@PavlovicNBCS) May 8, 2019
An inning later, Williamson again came up with two on. This time he hit a single up the middle, driving in another run. With four RBI, Williamson joined Kevin Pillar as the only Giants to hit that mark this season, and he incredibly tied the previous season total for all Giants left fielders combined.
Williamson's power opened eyes in recent weeks, but it was the plate discipline over the past week that helped push the promotion over the edge. Williamson had 11 walks in his final seven games with the River Cats, and in the eighth inning he fouled off a couple of two-strike pitches and took a close one to draw a leadoff walk.
It was the kind of performance the Giants hope to see more of. It's what they've always been waiting for from Williamson, taken in the third round of the draft in 2012.
"If you could put together a baseball player," starter Madison Bumgarner said, "He's up there with what you would want."
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The Giants plan to give Williamson a long look, hoping he finally becomes part of the solution, now and for future lineups. After a concussion last year and a DFA at the end of the spring, Williamson was just happy to be back in the big leagues.
"Last year was extremely frustrating for multiple reasons," Williamson said. "It's definitely gratifying to be able to put it back together."
