'We showed resilience': Giants bounce Brewers with HR hat trick

MILWAUKEE -- The Giants didn’t get the deep start from Logan Webb that they expected on Tuesday night, but they overcame the shortest outing by the All-Star hurler in a month by riding a power surge to a hard-fought victory over the Brewers.

Matt Chapman, Grant McCray and Mike Yastrzemski all belted homers to boost the Giants to a 5-4 win at American Family Field.

Chapman tied the game at 2 in the fourth with a two-out solo home run, his 21st of the season, off Brewers starter Tobias Harris. McCray’s solo shot in the fifth gave the Giants a 3-2 lead.

After Willy Adames smacked a two-run homer in the sixth to put the Brewers ahead 4-3 and chase Webb, Yastrzemski’s two-run homer, his 11th, off Milwaukee reliever Joel Payamps put the Giants ahead to stay.

Manager Bob Melvin was especially impressed with the performance of the 23-year-old McCray, who earned his first big league callup earlier this month and has connected for three home runs in 11 games since.

“It’s been great. We saw him in Spring Training just a couple of times and now all of a sudden he’s the everyday center fielder,” Melvin said. “Give him a lot of credit for the work that he’s put in. He kind of looks a little different. A guy out there who’s got tremendous speed and he’s got power on top of it. There’s some swing-and-misses, and that’s what you worry about at the big league level, but there’s also some hard contact. It doesn’t look at this point in time like he’s not up for this.”

McCray’s home run came immediately after Brewers center fielder Blake Perkins robbed Thairo Estrada of a homer by leaping at the wall and pulling back the drive as his glove made contact with a secondary wall. The Giants challenged the call, but the ruling of a catch was upheld after review.

“I felt like they should have gave him the homer, but when he came back in I said, 'I’ve got your back, don’t worry,'” McCray said.

He noted that the team has remained resilient while playing in its fourth consecutive one-run game.

“We just didn’t quit,” McCray said. “We’re pushing for a Wild Card spot, so we’re just trying to win these games. They’re nail-biters, but if we keep pulling through, we’re good.”

Asked about his home-run prowess since getting his chance at the Major League level, McCray said he’s not surprised he’s shown power in his short time with the Giants.

“I know it’s there, it’s just not my game,” he said. “I’m just trying to get on base, get some hits and let my speed help the team win.”

The Giants didn't get much length out of their starting rotation in the recently completed three-game series in Seattle -- Hayden Birdsong, Blake Snell and Robbie Ray each failed to complete five innings -- so they were in desperate need of a quality start or two against the Brewers.

Webb figured to provide the team’s best chance, entering Tuesday having gone 4-0 with a 0.96 ERA over his previous five starts.

He made it to the sixth inning, but failed to retire a batter in the frame and departed after allowing a two-run homer to Adames on his 110th pitch of the outing.

“Twice in the game we had leads and I give them up, but we showed resilience and came back with a couple big home runs,” Webb said.

Webb, making his 28th start of the season, had to battle through a 33-pitch first inning in 85-degree heat, mainly due to a 15-pitch at-bat by Brewers catcher William Contreras, who eventually drew a walk.

After a quick and easy second inning, the Brewers got to Webb in the third when he gave up his first hit, a one-out single to Brice Turang, and then was tagged for a Statcast-projected 449-foot home run by Jackson Chourio. The blast off the center-field scoreboard, the longest by a Brewers player this season, was the 16th for the 20-year-old rookie. Webb had thrown 45 1/3 consecutive innings before allowing the homer to Chourio.

“I wanted to give as much as I could, but I kind of dug myself a hole in the first inning,” Webb said.

Melvin expressed frustration that he once again had to turn to his overworked bullpen in yet another close game.

“It’s uncomfortable to have to use guys one-plus [innings], especially guys who are at the top of the league in appearances,” Melvin said. “You certainly get used to the intensity of every inning, every pitch and knowing that you can’t let down, but it would be kind of nice to have a game where we didn’t have to use our best relievers every game.”