Giants' Austin Slater: Earns start vs. righty

Slater started in right field and went 2-for-5 with a double, a walk and a run scored in Wednesday's 11-8 win over the Rockies.

Slater got back into the starting lineup after getting a day off Tuesday, this time at the expense of Alex Dickerson. The 26-year-old has been on fire since being called up July 1 (.344/.417/.813), but so have the rest of the Giants' regular rotation of outfielders. Dickerson and Mike Yastrzemski -- Slater's main competition for playing time at the corners -- have the advantage of being lefty bats, but as we saw Wednesday against a right-handed starter, manager Bruce Bochy appears willing to ignore handedness to get Slater into the lineup. The utility man can also play in the infield, so semi-regular playing could remain a reality so long as his bat stays hot.