The San Francisco Giants overwhelmed the Chicago Cubs 12-3 at Oracle Park on Wednesday night, riding Rafael Devers’s two-homer, five-RBI performance to snap a rough stretch at home and push their offense back into high gear.
Devers wasted little time making an impact. He started the scoring with a solo shot off Colin Rea to dead center, then capped a three-run third with an RBI ground-rule double that ignited the Giants’ rally. In the sixth, the designated hitter crushed a three-run homer off Taylor Rogers to push San Francisco ahead by a wide margin, giving Devers five RBIs for the game — the most he’s produced in a Giants uniform to date. It was also his second long ball of the night after a later hug-kiss of a celebration that punctuated the victory.
The Giants opened a gap in the third inning after an earlier two-run surge that had Cubs starter Nico Hoerner watching from the dugout. Hoerner doubled the Cubs’ lead with a three-run blast in the second, but San Francisco answered in waves. Matt Chapman provided a two-way contribution: he smacked his 18th home run of the season in the seventh and was involved in a curious, momentum-shifting play in the fifth when a throw from his teammate ricocheted off his helmet at first base, allowing Dom Smith to score on a backstop error and effectively turning a potential nastier inning into one that the Giants could extinguish.
Chapman wasn’t finished. The first baseman again found the fences, finishing with a solo homer in the seventh as part of a day in which he also logged his 200th career homer. The Giants’ offense, which has battled to score with runners in scoring position all season, found its rhythm in front of a home crowd that has seen a rough run at Oracle Park lately, improving after a string of 15 losses in 18 home games.
San Francisco’s pitching also did its part. Carson Whisenhunt earned his second career win, turning in five innings of work with three strikeouts and three walks. He was touched for a three-run shot by Hoerner in the second, but otherwise kept the Cubs’ scoring in check, aided by a crucial fifth-inning double play started by Casey Schmitt after a hard grounder deflected off Whisenhunt’s glove. Adames grabbed the relay to second base and fired to first for the inning-ending twin killing.
The Cubs, trailing by a wide margin, even called upon a position player to pitch in the eighth, a reminder of how one-sided the game had become by the later stages.
Wednesday’s result marked the eighth time this season the Giants have reached double digits in runs, and the second time they’ve done so against the Cubs. It echoed their season-high 14 runs scored in May at Wrigley Field, underscoring San Francisco’s capacity to explode offensively when the lineup is clicking.
What it means going forward: Devers’s five-RBI night and the continued power from Chapman give the Giants a bona fide middle of the order they can lean on, especially as they chase wins to improve their standing. If the offense can maintain even a portion of this output, and the pitching staff can keep opponents at bay the way Whisenhunt did on Wednesday, San Francisco could regain momentum in a crowded playoff race. The defense also flashed when needed, and the team’s ability to turn a miscue into a rally-capable inning showed resilience that the club will hope to build on in upcoming weeks.
Summary: A dominant offensive night, highlighted by Devers’s two homers and a career-best five RBIs, plus a contributing power display from Chapman, propelled the Giants to a convincing victory over the Cubs, with Whisenhunt providing a solid start and a sharp defensive sequence helping to seal the win. A strong step in the right direction for a club seeking consistency at Oracle Park and in the late summer stretch.
Optional positive note: The Giants showed what they’re capable of when they put the ball in play and execute in key moments, offering a hopeful sign for fans amid a challenging home stand.