Baltimore Orioles vs San Francisco Giants Match Player Stats: Santander’s 42nd HR & Complete Analysis

The Baltimore Orioles vs San Francisco Giants match player stats tell a compelling three-game story at Camden Yards from September 17-19, 2024, where two teams with very different motivations created baseball drama worth remembering.

Quick Series Summary

• Overall Result: Giants won series 2-1
• Game 1: Giants 10, Orioles 0 (Dominant Snell pitching performance)
• Game 2: Giants 5, Orioles 3 (Walker saves tight contest)
• Game 3: Orioles 5, Giants 3 (Santander game winning homer)
• Key Stat: Orioles’ Anthony Santander hit his 42nd HR of 2024 (franchise record for switch hitter)

I watched from the press box as these clubs wrote three distinct baseball chapters over three nights.

The Tale of Two Teams: Playoff Dreams vs Playing for Pride

Sitting in Camden Yards for the series opener, you could feel two different energies.

The Orioles carried the weight of playoff expectations at 84-68, desperately needing wins while sitting 5 games back in the AL East.

The Giants brought a looser energy at 74-78, playing freely as a team looking toward 2025.

This created a unique psychological backdrop. One team tight with pressure, the other playing with nothing to lose.

Standings Impact

The series had real consequences for Baltimore. Every loss at this stage greatly affects playoff odds, while San Francisco was evaluating talent for next season.

Game 1 Deep Dive: Snell’s Masterclass Silences Camden Yards

The first pitch of the series set the tone. Mike Yastrzemski turned on Albert Suárez’s fastball and sent it into the right field seats. The former Giant facing his old team had no answers.

Inside Snell’s Dominant Performance

Blake Snell wasn’t just good. He was historically good:

• 6 perfect innings
• 12 strikeouts (tied season high)
• 21 swings and misses (27.3% whiff rate)
• First pitch strikes to 15 of 20 batters
• 0 runners advanced past second base

I watched Orioles hitters growing visibly frustrated in each at bat. By the fourth inning, their body language showed defeat.

Giants Offensive Explosion

The San Francisco attack was relentless:

• 10 runs on 10 hits
• 6 extra base hits (3 doubles, 3 home runs)
• 4 players with multiple RBIs
• Every starter reached base safely
• 5 for 11 with runners in scoring position

As the scoreboard showed 10-0, many Baltimore fans headed for the exits early on a Tuesday night at Camden Yards.

Game 2 Narrative: Giants Secure Series with Clutch Relief

The second game proved why baseball remains unpredictable. After Hayden Birdsong battled through 5.1 innings for San Francisco, this game came down to bullpen execution.

The Critical Seventh Inning

With Baltimore threatening with runners at the corners and one out, Giants manager Bob Melvin called on Tyler Rogers. The submariner induced a crucial double play, preserving a two-run lead.

Walker’s High-Wire Save

Ryan Walker entered for the ninth with a 5-3 lead and immediately found trouble. After a leadoff single by Gunnar Henderson, he struck out Cedric Mullins and Anthony Santander consecutively with nasty sliders before getting Colton Cowser to fly out harmlessly to right.

The Giants secured the series victory, leaving Baltimore players staring silently from the dugout, knowing their playoff chances had taken another hit.

Game 3 Drama: Santander’s Moment of Redemption

The series finale perfectly demonstrated baseball’s capacity for redemption stories.

The Pivotal At-Bats

Three at bats defined Game 3:

Conforto vs Eflin (4th inning)

Michael Conforto stepped in with Encarnacion on first base. After falling behind 0-2, he battled back to 2-2 before connecting on a hanging curveball, sending it 412 feet to center field. Giants 2, Orioles 0.

Holliday vs Webb (4th inning)

With two outs and runners at second and third, rookie Jackson Holliday fell behind 1-2. The 20-year-old son of Matt Holliday showed remarkable poise, lining a 97 mph sinker into right field to score both runners. Orioles 3, Giants 2.

Santander vs Walker (9th inning)

After failing to deliver in Game 2 against Walker, Anthony Santander got another chance. With Henderson on first and two outs, Walker tried to sneak an 84.4 mph slider past him. Santander was ready, launching it 390 feet with a 102.9 mph exit velocity for a game winning two-run homer. Orioles 5, Giants 3.

What is exit velocity? Exit velocity measures how fast the ball comes off the bat, measured in miles per hour (mph). Anything above 100 mph is considered hard hit, and Santander’s 102.9 mph shows he made excellent contact.

The Camden Yards crowd erupted as Santander circled the bases and was mobbed at home plate. His redemption against the same pitcher who struck him out the previous night made for perfect baseball theatre.

Inside the Box Score: Pitching Matchup

The starters battled to a near draw:

• Logan Webb (Giants): 5 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 8 K, 93 pitches (61 strikes)
  • 15 groundball outs (typical for the sinker specialist)
  • 6 consecutive outs via strikeout from 2nd-4th innings
  • First pitch strikes to 14 of 21 batters
• Zach Eflin (Orioles): 6 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 5 K, 89 pitches (65 strikes)
  • 9 flyball outs vs 4 groundball outs
  • 15 of 25 first pitch strikes
  • Just 4 three ball counts all game

Santander’s Historic Season in Context

The game winning homer wasn’t just exciting. It was historic. Anthony Santander’s 42nd home run continued a remarkable power surge that deserves closer attention.

Breaking Records

Santander’s 42 home runs through September 19th:

• Shattered Ken Singleton’s 1979 Orioles record (35) for home runs by a switch hitter
• Made him just the 8th switch hitter ever with 40+ homers in MLB history
• Put him in elite company with Mickey Mantle, Chipper Jones, and Mark Teixeira
• Represented impressive improvement from his previous career high of 33 (2022)

His power surge drew comparisons to other notable in season improvements we’ve seen in sports, like the unexpected breakouts that sometimes happen in the NFL.

Behind the Power Numbers

What made Santander’s power surge so impressive:

• Increased launch angle from 12.7° (2023) to 16.3° (2024)
• Average exit velocity jump of 2.1 mph year over year
• Pull percentage increased from 42.7% to 48.9%
• Hard hit rate up 8.3 percentage points from 2023

What is launch angle? Launch angle is the vertical angle at which the ball leaves the bat. Higher launch angles (usually 25-35°) create fly balls, while Santander’s 16.3° produces line drives with home run potential when combined with high exit velocity.

The data showed Santander made conscious adjustments to his swing, not just benefiting from luck.

Complete Series Statistical Deep Dive

Batting Leaders

Average (min. 8 at bats)

1. Jorge Encarnacion (SFG): .500 (4 for 8)
2. Thairo Fitzgerald (SFG): .400 (4 for 10)
3. Michael Conforto (SFG): .333 (4 for 12)

On Base Percentage (min. 10 plate appearances)

1. Heliot Ramos (SFG): .600 (2 walks, 1 hit)
2. Anthony Santander (BAL): .455 (3 walks, 2 hits)
3. Jorge Encarnacion (SFG): .444 (4 hits, 0 walks)

What is On Base Percentage (OBP)? OBP measures how often a batter reaches base (via hit, walk, or hit by pitch) per plate appearance. It’s considered more valuable than batting average as it accounts for a player’s ability to draw walks.

Slugging Percentage (min. 8 at bats)

1. Michael Conforto (SFG): .667 (8 total bases)
2. Anthony Santander (BAL): .625 (5 total bases)
3. Mike Yastrzemski (SFG): .600 (6 total bases)

Pitching Excellence

Earned Run Average (min. 3 IP)

1. Blake Snell (SFG): 0.00 (6.0 IP)
2. Zach Eflin (BAL): 3.00 (6.0 IP)
3. Hayden Birdsong (SFG): 3.38 (5.1 IP)

Strikeout Rate (min. 3 IP)

1. Blake Snell (SFG): 60.0% (12 K, 20 batters)
2. Logan Webb (SFG): 38.1% (8 K, 21 batters)
3. Zach Eflin (BAL): 20.0% (5 K, 25 batters)

WHIP (min. 3 IP)

1. Blake Snell (SFG): 0.50 (1 H, 2 BB, 6 IP)
2. Zach Eflin (BAL): 1.17 (6 H, 1 BB, 6 IP)
3. Logan Webb (SFG): 1.20 (4 H, 2 BB, 5 IP)

What is WHIP? WHIP stands for “Walks plus Hits per Innings Pitched.” It measures how many baserunners a pitcher allows per inning. Lower is better, with elite pitchers typically posting WHIPs under 1.00. Snell’s 0.50 WHIP in Game 1 was exceptional.

Team Performance Metrics

Batting with Runners in Scoring Position

• Giants: 8 for 21 (.381)
• Orioles: 6 for 23 (.261)

Two Out RBIs

• Giants: 7
• Orioles: 5 (including Holliday’s crucial 2 run single)

Walks to Strikeout Ratio

• Giants: 9 BB, 24 K (0.38 ratio)
• Orioles: 8 BB, 31 K (0.26 ratio)

The Human Element: Stories Beyond Stats

Numbers tell only part of the story. The series featured several compelling human elements:

Albert Suárez Facing His Former Team

Albert Suárez started his MLB career with the Giants (2016-2017) before bouncing around baseball, including stints overseas. His long journey back to MLB culminated in becoming a reliable starter for the 2024 Orioles.

The emotion was visible as he faced his former club in Game 1. Perhaps too much emotion, as the Giants roughed him up for 6 runs in 4 innings.

Rookie Jackson Holliday’s Baptism by Fire

At just 20 years old, Jackson Holliday, son of seven time All Star Matt Holliday, found himself in a playoff race. His game changing hit in Game 3 showed remarkable composure under pressure.

Holliday’s approach against the veteran Webb demonstrated maturity beyond his years, and his emotional reaction rounding first base showed how much the moment meant to him.

Similar to how young athletes can rise to the occasion under pressure in other sports, like we’ve seen with tennis phenom Coco Gauff against seasoned veterans, Holliday showed that age doesn’t always dictate performance in crucial moments.

Ryan Walker’s 24 Hour Rollercoaster

Few players experience the ups and downs of baseball as intensely as Ryan Walker did in this series:

• Game 2: Enters with the game on the line, strikes out the side for his 8th save
• Game 3: Returns to the mound confident, only to surrender the game winning homer

The cameras caught his stunned expression as Santander’s ball cleared the fence. This moment perfectly captured baseball’s cruel unpredictability.

Why This Series Matters in the Bigger Picture

This three game set revealed several important truths about both clubs:

For Baltimore

The Orioles showed both fragility and resilience. While they struggled with the pressure of a playoff race, the Game 3 comeback demonstrated why they remained dangerous.

Their 84-69 record after this series meant they needed a strong final push to secure a wild card spot, with Anthony Santander emerging as their emotional leader.

For San Francisco

Taking 2 of 3 from a playoff contender showed the Giants had talent despite their disappointing record. Blake Snell’s dominant performance reminded everyone why he won the Cy Young Award previously.

For a team playing out the string, their competitive fire suggested better days ahead in 2025.

FAQs About Orioles vs Giants 2024 Series

What was the final result of the Baltimore Orioles vs San Francisco Giants series?

The San Francisco Giants won the series 2 games to 1, taking the first two games (10-0, 5-3) before Baltimore salvaged the finale with a 5-3 game winning home run.

Who hit the game winning homer for Baltimore in the series against San Francisco?

Anthony Santander hit a game winning two run home run in the bottom of the ninth inning of Game 3 on an 84.4 mph slider from Ryan Walker. It was Santander’s 42nd home run of the 2024 season.

Which pitcher had the most dominant performance in the Orioles Giants series?

Blake Snell of the Giants recorded 12 strikeouts while allowing just 1 hit over 6 shutout innings in Game 1, generating 21 swings and misses in a completely dominant performance.

How many home runs did Anthony Santander have in 2024 through this series?

Anthony Santander had 42 home runs through September 19, 2024, setting the Orioles franchise record for most home runs by a switch hitter in a single season.

Did any rookies make an impact in the Orioles Giants series?

Yes, Orioles rookie Jackson Holliday delivered a crucial two run single in Game 3 that temporarily gave Baltimore the lead. The 20 year old son of Matt Holliday showed remarkable poise in a playoff race situation.

How did the series affect the Orioles’ playoff chances?

Losing 2 of 3 home games hurt Baltimore’s playoff positioning. Their 84-69 record after the series put additional pressure on them to perform well in their remaining games to secure a wild card spot in the competitive American League.

The next time you search for Baltimore Orioles vs San Francisco Giants match player stats, you’ll understand not just the numbers, but the human stories that made this September series so compelling.