SAN FRANCISCO -- Baseball has such a long history that it can take some time to dig into the more unusual questions, but on Wednesday, there was no doubt when it came to the pitching matchup. This was the first matchup of Haydens in MLB history. It had to be.
There have only been three to pitch in the majors and the first, Hayden Penn, last appeared in 2010. When 22-year-old Hayden Birdsong and 26-year-old Hayden Wesneski faced off, it was a first for athletes with their name, but neither factored in the decision.
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Birdsong showed poise and good stuff in his first big league game, and the Giants pulled away after he departed, beating the Chicago Cubs 4-3. Luis Matos' solo shot to left in the sixth was the difference, giving the Giants a third straight win after an ugly 1-5 road trip.
The front office always felt that Birdsong was a potential steal in the draft two years ago, although he never was expected to be needed this quickly. The last Giants starter to throw fewer innings in the minors before his debut was Tim Lincecum, but the rotation desperately needs upside -- and innings -- right now, so Birdsong found himself at Oracle Park after just two starts in Triple-A. The 22-year-old had a solid debut, and he was one out away from what would have been a very strong line, all things considered.
Birdsong couldn't hold an early lead, but Matos' homer put the Giants back on top for good. For the first time in two years, they got homers from each of the bottom three spots in the order.
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See You Again Next Week
The Giants are in such a tight spot with their rotation that Birdsong was going to get another start regardless of how the first went. But on performance alone, he certainly earned an assignment next Tuesday in Atlanta.
Birdsong was one pitch away from what would have potentially been a win on his first night in the big leagues, but his 97th offering was a fastball that Seiya Suzuki crushed to center, tying the game and ending Birdsong's day one batter sooner than he hoped. Overall, he gave up six hits, walked three and struck out five the first time out.
The standout number was 97, as in the number of pitches he gave to a rotation that went just two-deep before he arrived. His frame will fill out over time, but he already holds his velocity well, and the Giants had no qualms about pushing him. Birdsong was sitting 95-96 mph in his final inning.
Command always has been the question for the 2022 sixth-round pick and there were a few 3-0 counts and bouts of wildness, but Birdsong did a nice job of pushing through the adversity. He walked a pair with one out in the second but struck out Dansby Swanson before a seeing-eye grounder put the first run on his line.
Back-to-Back
The bottom of the lineup gave Birdsong a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the second on a pair of no-doubters. Michael Conforto took on the deepest part of the yard and hit his ninth homer of the year, and a few pitches later, David Villar picked up his first on a homer to dead center.
At 411 feet, Conforto's homer was his second-longest of the season. Villar's went 433 feet, landing high up on the net that protects the bullpens. The Giants only had gone back-to-back one previous time this season.
Welcome Back
Matos jumped on a hanging curve from Drew Smyly, the former Giant who has been quite helpful this week. The homer was Matos' third of the season but first since a historic weekend that won him NL Player of the Week honors. It was his first extra-base hit since he returned from Triple-A Sacramento.
Mike Yastrzemski did pregame defensive drills and is eligible to come off the IL on July 1, but the Giants don't believe he'll be back that quickly. Matos will continue to get an extended runway, and he has six hits in five games since returning.
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