After rough ending to rookie season, Patrick Bailey is thriving again: ‘Baseball is a tough game; it beats you up’

SAN FRANCISCO — With one crack of the bat, Patrick Bailey made a metaphorical announcement: it’s time to forget about the second half of last season.

Bailey’s three-run, walk-off homer in the ninth inning on Friday night lifted the Giants over the Pittsburgh Pirates, 3-0, the culmination of a player who has quickly evolved into one of the most potent offensive forces in the game.

The numbers are jumping off the page. Throughout the season’s first month, Bailey leads the majors or...