Rafael Devers’ big night vs. Cubs will spark Giants playoff belief

It wasn’t just the power. Devers also doubled into Triples Alley at 107 mph off the bat and showed off his baserunning instincts. Twice, he scored from third on balls that didn’t look like sure-fire RBIs — once on Dominic Smith’s sacrifice fly in the third, and again on Matt Chapman’s bloop single in the fifth, a play that turned chaotic when Kyle Tucker’s throw caromed off Chapman’s helmet, allowing Smith to cross as well.

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The sequence was emblematic of a night when just about everything went San Francisco’s way. Chapman later added his 200th career homer, and Heliot Ramos joined the party with one of his own. Young lefty Carson Whisenhunt had to grind through five innings, but his ability to escape two bases-loaded jams with double plays kept the Cubs from clawing back. The win was the Giants’ fourth straight, improving them to 65-68 as they continue to chase an NL Wild Card spot.

They remain seven games behind the surging Mets with 29 to play, so the path isn’t easy. But performances like Wednesday’s are what can keep belief alive. “These guys are resilient,” Devers said after the game. “We know what’s in front of us, and we’re going to keep pushing.”

Devers now sits at 27 homers on the year, with most of that production split between Boston and San Francisco. Oracle Park is notorious for humbling left-handed sluggers, but when Devers is locked in, the park plays small. The Giants have been searching for a true middle-of-the-order bat to complement Wilmer Flores and Matt Chapman; Devers showed exactly what that presence can look like.

For a team that stumbled badly earlier in the summer, these kinds of nights reignite hope. Sweeping playoff-bound opponents might be a stretch, but stringing together wins against contenders keeps the Giants relevant. And as long as Devers swings like this, San Francisco has every reason to believe the math isn’t impossible just yet.