SAN FRANCISCO _ Denard Span spent another afternoon flying around the bases. Eduardo Nunez got parallel to the ground while making a diving catch in left field. Jeff Samardzija burned lasers into Buster Posey's mitt. Brandon Belt sent one up, up and away.
You could understand if the Cincinnati Reds didn't recognize the team that beat them in three of four games after swooping in to take an 8-3 victory on Sunday.
The Giants came home to the phone booth, whipped off their glasses and emerged with newfound powers. They charged to an early lead Sunday and subdued a team that had schooled them just a week earlier in Cincinnati, when the Reds outscored them 31-5 while sweeping a three-game series.
Nunez contributed a two-run single in a four-run first inning, Brandon Crawford added a two-run double in the second inning and Samardzija struck out eight in 6 2/3 innings as the Giants won their third consecutive game for the first time this season.
The Giants cannot simply hike up their tights and fly out of the deep pit they dug for themselves while opening the season with a 12-24 record. They must climb their way out, and they can only do that by methodically winning one series after another.
It has to begin with a single toehold. For the first time this season, the Giants appear to have one.
Crawford and Span returned from the disabled list and transformed both the lineup and the defense in this series. But the turnaround began with the bullpen, which fired nine shutout innings in Friday night's 17-inning victory. Relievers held the Reds to a run in 15 1/3 innings in the series.
The Giants took advantage of a mistake and an ailing pitcher to bat around in the first inning. Span reached on a two-base error when Reds right fielder Scott Schebler dropped a fly ball. Joe Panik doubled Span home, and scored when Buster Posey singled past a drawn-in infield. After a pair of walks from Tim Adleman, Nunez sprayed a two-run single through the left side.
Adleman consulted with trainers at one point in the inning and indicated that his neck was bothering him. He was able to record the third out, but did not return for the second inning.
The Giants seldom win without going to the cards, but for the first time in a month, they scored more than six runs in a game. Span tripled off Barrett Astin to start the second inning and Panik followed with a sacrifice fly. Belt walked, Posey was hit on the arm with a pitch and Crawford's double brought them both home.
It was the first time since April 14 _ a span of 27 games _ that the Giants scored seven runs. And they did it by the second inning.
Belt added a solo shot, his third of the series, in the sixth inning. He leads the team with seven home runs this season; six solo blasts along with the grand slam he hit at San Diego in April.
Samardzija (1-5) had permission to heat up the strike zone, and although Scooter Gennett burned him for a two-run single in the fifth inning, the right-hander did not beat himself and did not issue a walk.
Although he has been up and down this season, Samardzija has not lacked for stuff and has not pitched poorly enough to be winless into mid-May. He qualified for his first win when he bested Joey Votto in the fifth, getting a double-play grounder on a full-count pitch to end the inning.
Span revitalized a leadoff spot that had been a black hole for the Giants this season. He went 9 for 21 with a double, a triple, two home runs and four runs scored. Entering the series, the Giants had scored a major league low 11 runs from the leadoff spot all season.
And after watching two weeks without Crawford, followed by four games with him, is there any doubt what kind of difference maker he is?
Still, the Giants do not expect to be at full strength as the Los Angeles Dodgers breeze into town. Hunter Pence is likely headed to the disabled list after an MRI exam showed a strained right hamstring. And Johnny Cueto, not Madison Bumgarner, must stand tall as he opposes Clayton Kershaw in Wednesday's series finale.
But it is another series, and another opportunity to climb. At this point, slipping is not an option.
