SAN FRANCISCO — After his last start, Derek Holland shook his head, looked up at the ceiling, and said he wanted to join in the fun. On Wednesday he finally did.
Holland picked up his first win as a Giant as the lineup battered opposing left-hander Clayton Richard and won 9-4. The Giants have taken four consecutive series and went 7-3 on the homestand. Now the road gets tougher. They’ll head to Atlanta, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, and all three of those rebuilding teams have played good ball this season.
For now, here’s a look back at what mattered Wednesday …
— Nick Hundley is making a bid for more playing time. He matched a career-high with four hits, including an opposite-field homer that clanked around the arcade section. Hundley was 8-for-15 on the homestand with seven RBI. Don’t be surprised if there’s a day or two on the upcoming road trip where Brandon Belt plays left and Buster Posey slides over to first.
— Will Smith made his first big league appearance since Game 4 of the NLDS, pitching a scoreless seventh. Smith, who missed all of last year with Tommy John surgery, walked one and then struck out two, including red-hot Padre Eric Hosmer. His fastball topped out at 94 mph. That was an excellent sign for Smith and the future of this bullpen.
— Holland had some wobbles, but avoided the big innings that have undone him for most of the season. He five-and-dived it, allowing three runs on four hits and a walk. He struck out four.
— Brandon Crawford needed a day like this. The shortstop had just three RBI when he stepped in with the bases loaded in the third and hit a two-run single to right. Crawford also had a single in his next at-bat and threw Hosmer out trying to stretch a double into a triple.
