SAN FRANCISCO - Kevin Gausman heard the boos when he stepped into the batter's box Friday night, realizing right away the home fans had no idea their team was down to its last options with no position players left.
So the pinch-hitting pitcher stood in and delivered, lofting a full-count, bases-loaded sacrifice fly in the 11th inning that sent the San Francisco Giants past the Atlanta Braves, 6-5, in a matchup of National League division leaders.
"Oh man, that was the coolest thing I've ever done in my entire career," Gausman said. "When it was 3-2 and everybody stood up, it was probably one of the coolest moments of my life. ... Just crazy."
It wasn't the only heroic performance for the Giants, who moved two games ahead of the second-place Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West. San Francisco infielder Donovan Solano, who came off the COVID-19 injured list before the game, connected for a tying, pinch-hit home run with two outs in the bottom of the ninth.
Atlanta, meanwhile, had its NL East lead trimmed to two games over the second-place Philadelphia Phillies, who beat the New York Mets 4-3 on Friday. The third-place Mets are 5 1/2 games behind the Braves, who are seeking a fourth straight division title.
The Giants had only pitchers left on the bench when Gausman, a left-handed batter with a .184 average this season, stepped in for reliever Camilo Doval, who had never batted in his professional career.
"More than anything I was trying to not look ridiculous, just take good swings, swing at strikes," recounted a giddy Gausman, who spent part of the 2018 and 2019 seasons with the Braves. "Obviously I never would have thought I would have got in that situation coming to the ballpark today."
Hardly ridiculous. Not even close.
Braves manager Brian Snitker got caught off guard by it.
"I honestly thought he'd probably take that 3-2 pitch so he didn't expand the strike zone and maybe swing at one over his head or something," Snitker said.
Instead, Gausman hit a fly ball to shallow right field and Brandon Crawford beat the throw home with a head-first slide. Gausman's teammates chest bumped him and cheered near first base a day after the right-handed pitcher took his first defeat since July 30.
Later, Gausman noted "that's the first time I've pulled a ball in the big leagues, so I didn't really know how to gauge it" or know whether he had done his job. Soon, the celebration gave him his answer.
"I was shocked when I turned around and Craw was running," he said. "... That was pretty cool. I think the fans enjoyed it, seeing a pitcher hit it in the 11th inning. ... I got some boos when they announced my name; I think they thought we had more people on the bench, but we didn't - we didn't have anybody else."
Crawford began the final inning at second base and advanced on a wild pickoff throw by Jacob Webb (4-3), who then intentionally walked Evan Longoria. With one out, Solano was walked to load the bases.
"He actually does take his batting practice seriously. That was just a hell of an at-bat - pitcher, position player, it was a great at-bat," Giants manager Gabe Kapler said of Gausman. "Had a game plan and was looking to get a pitch in the air. Craw got a great jump and made a great slide."
Tyler Matzek had retired Crawford on a grounder with two outs in the 10th and the bases loaded.
Doval (3-1) pitched a perfect 11th for the win.
The Braves entered the ninth down 4-2 but rallied as Travis d'Arnaud hit a three-run homer. Austin Riley and Adam Duvall hit consecutive singles to start the inning against Tyler Rogers, and d'Arnaud connected one out later.
Solano homered off former Giants reliever Will Smith, who blew a save for the sixth time in 38 chances this year.
Brandon Belt hit a two-run homer, Crawford also connected and LaMonte Wade Jr. had a splash homer for the Giants.
San Francisco starter Logan Webb struck out nine and didn't walk a batter, allowing two runs on six hits. He was in position to win his 10th consecutive decision dating to a May 5 road loss against the Colorado Rockies.
"This was what I've been waiting for all year. Of course I pitched today and Gaus gets it," Webb said. "That was fun, that was real fun, that was awesome."
The Braves had won six of their past seven games at San Francisco, where they played for the first time since May 2019.
Atlanta's past 10 losses have been by two or fewer runs.