SAN FRANCISCO _ It took one swing for Gary Sanchez to remind his detractors why the Yankees put up with his occasional issues behind the plate.
With the Yankees ahead by two runs in the fifth inning Saturday, Sanchez _ 0 for 9 with seven strikeouts to that point since being activated from the injured list Wednesday _ batted with one out and the bases loaded. He fell in a 1-and-2 hole against left-hander Derek Holland, and a third strikeout in as many at-bats appeared possible.
Instead, Sanchez turned on an inviting 91-mph fastball that came in belt-high and straight and rocketed it an estimated 467 feet to left-center for his first career grand slam.
That gave the Yankees a six-run cushion, and with J.A. Happ throwing the best he has all season, they withstood a tough ninth inning for Luis Cessa and posted a 6-4 victory over the Giants in front of 33,971 at Oracle Park.
Cessa allowed a three-run homer by Yangervis Solarte and a solo shot by pinch hitter Erik Kratz in the ninth inning before Aroldis Chapman struck out Pablo Sandoval on three pitches to earn his fifth save.
Sanchez dropped the bat as the ball left the yard to make it 6-0 and emphatically clapped his hands together once _ a gesture that seemed as much relief as celebration. It gave him seven home runs, one behind Luke Voit for the team lead, and 15 RBIs in only 14 games. He just missed a second homer with a long flyout to dead center in the seventh inning.
Happ, who entered the game with an 0-2 record, a 5.96 ERA and seven home runs allowed in five starts, was brilliant. He allowed five hits in seven scoreless innings.
The Yankees (16-11) won for the 10th time in 12 games and improved to 5-1 on this nine-game road trip. They totaled eight hits, three by third baseman Gio Urshela, who continues to shine in the field and at the plate in Miguel Andujar's absence.
Holland was tagged for six runs and six hits in five innings in falling to 1-4 with a 5.34 ERA.
Holland threw two scoreless innings before the Yankees got to him in the third. Cameron Maybin led off with a walk and, after Thairo Estrada flied out, moved to second on Happ's sacrifice bunt. DJ LeMahieu, who entered the game at 9 for 21 with 11 RBIs with runners in scoring position this season, delivered with a ground smash that deflected off third baseman Evan Longoria for an infield single that made it 1-0.
The Yankees' defense, primarily LeMahieu and Voit, saved Happ in the bottom of the inning.
Gerardo Parra led off with a single, and two outs later, former Yankee Tyler Austin singled to left. Brandon Belt then ripped a shot that LeMahieu backhanded cleanly on the short hop before hitting the ground. From his knees, he threw accurately to first but short-hopped the throw, and Voit scooped it out of the dirt for the third out.
The Yankees sent nine to the plate in the fifth. Maybin and Estrada singled, but the Giants ran the wheel play on Happ's sacrifice bunt and got Maybin at third. After LeMahieu walked to load the bases, Voit extended his MLB-best on-base streak to 38 games when Holland hit him in the right knee with a pitch, forcing in a run to make it 2-0. Sanchez came next and put the game away with that one swing.
