SAN FRANCISCO _ The waters of McCovey Cove slosh and splash just 24 feet beyond the right-field wall here at AT&T Park, beyond the towering, angular brick barrier, beyond the walkway filled with pedestrians on a sunny Wednesday afternoon.
The waterway _ officially named the China Basin Channel, unofficially named for the Giants' Hall of Famer _ offers a veritable test for sluggers and a seductive target for any hitter who stands in the batter's box here. In how many stadiums on earth can you take a swing and try to hit a baseball into an actual bay?
On Wednesday afternoon, in the Royals' 7-2 victory over the Giants, it was third baseman Mike Moustakas' turn to step into the box and take aim for the basin. On a 3-2 changeup from Johnny Cueto in the top of the second, Moustakas let one fly, launching a solo homer that splashed into the cove. The homer, which traveled an estimated 415 feet, was Moustakas' 18th of the season and offered a 1-0 lead. It also sparked another complete performance as the Royals (30-34) won for a fourth straight day, matching their longest streak of the season.
Rookie Jorge Bonifacio would deliver a two-run shot off Cueto in the third, his ninth of the season. Lorenzo Cain followed with a line-drive solo blast to left, his seventh of the season and fifth in 11 games. In all, the Royals have connected for 13 homers while winning four of five on this West Coast road trip. As they prepared to board a plane for Anaheim on Wednesday evening, in advance of a four-game series with the Angels, they had climbed to within four games of .500 for the first time since April 23.
As the offense remained locked in, starter Jason Hammel continued his June resurgence, allowing just one earned run in 62/3 innings. In three starts in May, he has allowed just five runs, posting a 2.21 ERA. The performance comes on the heels of a disastrous May, when he logged a 5.83 ERA in five starts. For now, Hammel appears to have solved his command issues, opening up his mechanics and finding his fastball. On Wednesday, he issued just one walk, his first in 79 plate appearances.
Facing off against Hammel was Cueto, the erstwhile Royals starter who had entered the day with a 4.33 ERA in 13 starts. In 81 innings, Cueto had allowed 13 homers. His uneven performance had manifested itself off the diamond. In April, in an interview with The Bay Area News Group, he remarked on the lack of Latin players in the Giants' clubhouse, contrasting it with his stints in Cincinnati and Kansas City. In the winter, he will possess the choice of opting out of his six-year, $130 million contract, signed in the months after the Royals won the 2015 World Series.
For Cueto and the Giants, the marriage started off splendidly. He posted a 2.79 ERA in 32 starts last season. He started the All-Star Game for the National League. He helped the Giants back to the postseason.
And yet, his 2017 season has mirrored his performance on Wednesday. He was ravaged by the home run, surrendering three in 52/3 innings. He departed after allowing a single to Whit Merrifield and an RBI double from Bonifacio in the top of the sixth.
In that moment, the Royals were already in total command.
