Welcome to SF: Bryant homers in second AB with Giants originally appeared on NBC Sports Bayarea
SAN FRANCISCO — As Kris Bryant made his way across the country, he watched two of his former teammates make big impressions in new homes. Anthony Rizzo homered in his first two games with the New York Yankees, and when Javier Baez suited up for the New York Mets for the first time, he also went deep.
Bryant knew the bar had been set high by the former Chicago Cubs. He smiled Sunday morning when asked if he felt any pressure to match Rizzo and Baez.
“It’s been cool to see what they’ve done in their debuts,” he said. “Maybe there’s some magic here.”There was.
Bryant hit a low screamer into the left field bleachers in his second at-bat with the Giants, cutting into a two-run lead that the Houston Astros had taken in the first inning. Bryant saw eight pitches his first time up but struck out. Given another shot at Luis Garcia in the third inning, he showed off the swing that once won him an NL MVP award.
According to Stats Perform, Bryant, Rizzo and Baez became the first trio in the modern era to each homer in their debut for a new team after playing for the same team earlier in the season.
Bryant yanked the inside 94 mph to left at 102.2 mph. It was his 19th homer of the season, which gave him the clubhouse lead, one ahead of Brandon Crawford and two ahead of Mike Yastrzemski. Those two were involved in the two-out rally Bryant got started.
Yastrzemski followed with a double to right-center. After Buster Posey drew a walk, Crawford bounced one through the right side of the infield to tie the game. Darin Ruf’s single gave the Giants the lead.