Casey Schmitt is carving out a role with the San Francisco Giants, and his big performance in the middle contest of a three-game series with the Athletics will only help.
Schmitt figures to be in the lineup somewhere for Sunday afternoon’s finale in West Sacramento, Calif., after he recorded his second career two-homer game and his fourth four-hit outing in Saturday’s 6-4 San Francisco victory.
The right-handed-hitting Schmitt hit a solo homer to left field in the first inning and a two-run shot off the right-field foul pole in the fifth.
“I wasn’t trying to hit home runs,” Schmitt told reporters. “I was just trying to hit line drives, and I got two in the air.”
Schmitt, 27, has eight homers in 140 at-bats over 38 appearances this season. His career-best output of 12 home runs came last season when he played 95 games under former manager Bob Melvin. This is Schmitt’s fourth big-league campaign.
Schmitt served as the designated hitter and batted third on Saturday, and his versatility has caught the attention of first-year manager Tony Vitello.
Schmitt can play all four infield positions and was in left field during Friday’s 5-2 loss to the A’s when Heliot Ramos exited after 5 1/2 innings with a quadriceps injury. Ramos was placed on the 10-day injured list on Saturday.
It was Schmitt’s first professional appearance in the outfield. He also never played in the outfield during his standout college career at San Diego State (2018-20).
Vitello informed Schmitt on Saturday that he will receive playing time in left while Ramos is sidelined.
“We’ll see how it goes,” Schmitt said. “I got in there (Friday) but didn’t get any balls. I feel like I can do a good job out there.”
Vitello said he has been highly impressed with Schmitt’s attitude.
“He’s been eager to learn,” Vitello said. “His attitude has just been awesome about it. Any set of adverse circumstances, you can see them as a detriment or you could say, ‘Why wouldn’t I have success? I’ve been active and moving around the field and it’s helping me learn the game.'”
San Francisco had 14 hits — eight for extra bases — on Saturday while sending the Athletics to their fourth setback in six games.
A’s slugger Nick Kurtz walked to stretch his streak of reaching base to 39 games, matching the longest by an A’s player during a single season since Jason Giambi reached in 39 straight in both the 1997 and 1998 seasons. Next up is Mark McGwire (48 in 1996).
Also Saturday, Brent Rooker smashed a three-run homer in the eighth to bring the Athletics within two.
“It was a good swing by ‘Rook,’ getting us back into the game and giving us a chance to hopefully get the tying run up to the plate,” Athletics manager Mark Kotsay said. “That’s what this offense can do — we can get back into the game with a home run like that.”
Left-hander Jeffrey Springs (3-3, 4.22 ERA) will start for the Athletics in the series finale. Springs is 0-3 with a 7.03 ERA over his last five starts. He lost to the St. Louis Cardinals 6-4 on Tuesday when he gave up four runs and seven hits over five innings.
Springs is 0-0 with a 1.04 ERA in two career appearances (one start) against the Giants. Harrison Bader (1-for-6) has homered against Springs while Matt Chapman (2-for-17) and Willy Adames (0-for-7) have struggled.
Right-hander Adrian Houser (1-4, 5.79 ERA) will pitch for the Giants on Sunday.
He failed to win in his first seven outings before beating the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-2 on Tuesday. He allowed two runs and three hits over 5 2/3 innings.
Houser, 33, is 0-1 with a 6.00 ERA in two career starts against the A’s. Jeff McNeil is 2-for-9 with two doubles against him.
–Field Level Media
