Kris Bryant was all smiles Sunday as he entered Oracle Park for the first time as a member of the Giants, and the fans in the ballpark couldn’t stop grinning after one swing of the bat in the third inning of San Francisco’s 5-3 win over the Houston Astros.
On the second pitch of his second at-bat against Astros starter Luis Garcia, Bryant drove a four-seam fastball over the left field wall for a dramatic solo homer, sending the 29,655 fans in attendance into a frenzy.
Before the game, Bryant told reporters that he grew up in Las Vegas rooting for the Giants and all-time home run king Barry Bonds, and on Sunday, the third baseman fulfilled a dream by homering while wearing the orange and black.
“I was telling the guys here, that was one of the more memorable homers I’ve hit,” Bryant said on “Summer Sunday” after the game. “The fans really embraced me. I’m having a blast. I’ve been here a day and I feel like I’ve been here all year.”
Bryant’s homer got the scoring started for the Giants and helped them rally to beat the best team in the American League for a second straight day.
Bryant’s wife Jessica and young son Kyler were in the ballpark for the four-time All-Star’s team debut.
Bryant finished his first game with the Giants 1-for-4 with his 19th homer and 52nd RBI of the season, along with a strikeout.
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The Giants already possessed the best record in MLB before acquiring the former NL MVP, and they are hoping Bryant makes them even more dangerous.
If the first game with Bryant in the lineup is any indication, the deep Giants lineup is going to be tough to hold down over the final two months of the regular season.
