WEST SACRAMENTO – The Giants used a pretty basic plan to end their three-game losing streak Saturday: Some good, clutch hitting mixed in with solid starting pitching that led to a 6-4 win over the Athletics at Sutter Health Park.

Sounds simple enough, but it’s something that first-year Giants manager Tony Vitello’s club had had a difficult time doing on a consistent basis.

Once again, it was do-it-all utility man Casey Schmitt providing the bulk of the firepower with two home runs. He also had two singles and three RBI.

Luis Arraez — fresh off a four-hit night Friday — stayed hot with a double, two walks and two runs scored, while Willy Adames added three hits and drove in two runs. Rafael Devers and Drew Gilbert also had two hits apiece.

That evened the series between the two former Bay Area rivals at 1-1, with the deciding game on tap Sunday afternoon.

Before Saturday’s game, the Giants placed outfielder Heliot Ramos on the 10-day injured list with right quadriceps tightness.

Schmitt homered in his first at-bat, crushing a 3-2 sweeper over the left-field wall for a 1-0 lead.

The Giants made it 3-0 in the third when Adames lined a bases-loaded single to right. Adames was thrown out on the play, but not before two runs scored. Schmitt’s second home run went to right and put the Giants comfortably ahead 5-0. Matt Chapman had an RBI double in the seventh to make it 6-1.

Trevor McDonald and three relievers made it hold up, although it got dicey toward the end.

After McDonald took a shutout into the seventh inning, Erik Miller took over and set down two batters. Caleb Kilian came in and served up a three-run home run to Brent Rooker in the eighth that trimmed the Giants’ lead to 6-4, before striking out the next two batters. Matt Gage worked a 1-2-3 ninth for his first career save.

Here are the takeaways from Saturday:

Schmitt Can Hit

With apologies to Arraez, Schmitt currently might be wielding the most dangerous bat in the Giants’ lineup.

Schmitt hit his seventh home run of the season in the first inning, a two-out solo shot off A’s starting pitcher Luis Severino. Schmitt took Severino deep again in the sixth with a two-run blast that went off the right-field foul pole.

Missing one of their big bats with Ramos on the IL, the Giants need someone to fill the gap. Schmitt did that by doing what he’s done basically all season.

Schmitt’s first home run ended an 0-for-9 mini funk and extended the Giants’ recent power surge at the plate. It marked the 11th time in the past 12 games that San Francisco has had at least one home run.

It was the second multi-homer game of Schmitt’s career — the other coming on Oct. 1, 2023, when Schmitt was a rookie.

Baserunning Blunders

As good a day that Adames had, it could have been a lot better had it not been for a couple of running miscues on the basepaths.

After leading off the second with a double, Adames was thrown out at third base by Severino, who fielded Drew Gilbert’s soft comebacker clean, then spun around to throw out the lead runner.

In the third, Adames got greedy after lashing a two-out, two-run single to right. He tried to go for second base but was thrown out on a rare 9-2-6 play.

McDonald Magic

Logan Webb is the obvious ace of the staff, but McDonald has been putting up numbers worthy of a top-tier starter.

Making only his third start of the season, McDonald showed a ton of control while allowing just one run over 6 2/3 innings. The right-hander allowed five hits and had five strikeouts with one walk.

McDonald also exhibited a lot of poise in key situations. After pitching out of a mini jam in the fourth, he got 2025 AL Rookie of the Year Nick Kurtz to strike out swinging with two on in the fifth, then caught Shea Langeliers’ sharp comebacker for the final out of the inning.

A small sample size to the big picture, but so far, it’s an image the Giants’ brass has to be impressed with.

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