Dickerson helps bring clarity to Giants' outfield

SAN DIEGO -- With all the noise coming from third base lately, it would be easy to miss. But the Giants seem to have quietly settled on an outfield they like.

Alex Dickerson, one of the players who have stabilized the outfield, hit a 422-foot home run off Cal Quantrill to join the team’s offensive surge and help the Giants to a 7-5 victory over the Padres on Wednesday night that completed a three-game sweep at Petco Park.

It was the Giants’ first sweep of the season in any series longer than two games. They have won four straight games overall.

“Some guys had some really good at-bats the whole series,” manager Bruce Bochy said. “Just a great series for us offensively.”

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Dickerson’s third-inning homer against his former club and in his hometown was another 2019 first. It completed the first back-to-back homers for the Giants this year. Third baseman Evan Longoria preceded Dickerson with a two-run 430-footer that put the Giants on the board.

“It was awesome getting to follow up Longo with one right after,” Dickerson said. “Knowing that he hit a home run on an offspeed pitch, I was pretty sure I was getting fastballs there. I was able to jump on one. It felt good rounding the bases and hearing the crowd cheering and everything.”

Longoria had four home runs in the series to raise his season total to 11. He’s the first Giants player with four homers in a three-game series since Jarrett Parker from Sept. 25-27, 2015, against the A’s.

As comforting as it is to have Longoria on an upward trajectory, the Giants didn’t have to tinker with third base. The veteran self-corrected with endless hours in the batting cage. The outfield was another story entirely.

Nobody from the Opening Day outfield -- Connor Joe, Steven Duggar and Michael Reed -- remains with the big league club after Duggar was activated from the injured list and optioned to Triple-A Sacramento earlier Wednesday.

The Giants have given 14 players starts in the outfield as they made extensive use of the waiver wire, trades and their farm system in search of the right formula. They finally might be content to sit tight for a while.

Kevin Pillar has emerged as a stalwart in center field, and manager Bruce Bochy likes the platoon options he has at the corners. Dickerson and Mike Yastrzemski swing left-handed; Austin Slater and Tyler Austin bat from the right side.

“If you look at how we shape up, it makes us stronger against lefties and righties than we were earlier this season,” Bochy said. “I think Yaz has been doing a nice job and, of course, Dickerson.”

Dickerson, 29, has a .342/.419/.737 slash line in 13 games since he joined the Giants last month. He was designated for assignment by the Padres, who are set at the corners with Hunter Renfroe and Franmil Reyes, and then traded to San Francisco for Minor League right-hander Franklin Van Gurp.

“He can hit,” Bochy said. “His toughest thing has been staying on the field. He gives us another threat in the lineup. He’s a good hitter. He has a good eye at the plate. He plays a pretty good left field, from what I’ve seen. ... He’s got a gift; it’s easy power.”

For a while, Dickerson’s gift appeared as if it would remain unopened. After he hit 10 homers in 84 games with the Padres in 2016, he was expected to take a starting job the following year. Instead, he needed back surgery and missed the 2017 season. His 2018 comeback was wiped out when he blew out his elbow and needed Tommy John surgery.

He came into 2019 knowing his days with the Padres were numbered, but his confidence never wavered. That’s because his swing never faltered.

“I always had confidence I’d make my way back,” Dickerson said. “The swing came really fast. It always has. I’ve had several injuries in my career and it’s always been within the first week, ‘OK, it’s still there. I’ve still got the power and everything.’

“The toughest part of coming back has been tuning up defensively. I’ve done a lot of work over the years to become a Major League left fielder. That’s where I’ve felt a step behind this year. I had one today where I should have cut a ball off and I let it go. It’s going to take some work.”

The Giants saw their streak of reaching double digits in both runs and hits for three straight games come to an end Wednesday. Nevertheless, they had 30 runs and 40 hits in the series.

“We’ve got a lot of guys with an unbelievable track record over the years,” Dickerson said. “You know they’re going to get hot here in the second half. You can see it start to click. It’s really fun to be in the middle of that.”

Odd rally

The power of Dickerson and Longoria fueled a three-run third, but it was a strange four-run sixth inning that secured the win. Pillar reached base with one out when he was hit by a lob from Luis Perdomo that was so slow it didn’t register with Statcast. Pillar tried to call time, but home-plate umpire Jeff Nelson denied him. Perdomo, however, released the ball as if it weren’t a live pitch.

“It’s the umpire’s call,” Pillar said. “As much as we’d like to be granted time in a situation like that, more so for safety, it’s in the umpire’s discretion. I respected the fact the pitcher didn’t fire one in there because I was standing there kind of defenseless.

“I was trying to find some rhythm in the box. When I looked up, he had started his delivery. I tried to ask for time. It wasn’t granted. I was just in no position to hit. I was willing to take the pitch. He lobbed it kind of at me, and I just stood my ground. Kind of a strange play I’ve never been a part of.”

The strangeness continued three batters later when pinch-hitter Pablo Sandoval hit what appeared to be an inning-ending fly ball to center field. Wil Myers lost the ball in the twilight sky, however, and the ball fell for an RBI double that put the Giants ahead, 5-4.

Solano on a streak

Donovan Solano made his fourth straight start at shortstop and delivered a double to tie the game, 4-4, in the sixth, driving home Pillar. He has a 10-game hitting streak, the longest active streak in the Majors.

“Donovan, what a nice job he’s done,” Bochy said. “He has stepped in and given us some great at-bats.”