Photo courtesy of Toronto Blue Jays.

By Titus Wilkinson (@TitusWisme)

SAN FRANCISCO- The Giants closed out their three-game series against the Toronto Blue Jays on Thursday.

So far, this series had gone both ways with the Giants winning the first game in walk-off fashion while losing the second game 10-6, meaning today’s game decided who would win the series.

Getting the start on the mound for the Giants was right-hander and former Blue Jay Jordan Hicks. Heading into this game Hicks had a 4-5 record with a 3.79 ERA.

For the Blue Jays it was former Giant Kevin Gausman starting who had a 6-8 record and 4.60 ERA before playing in today’s game.

Hicks found himself in some trouble right off the hop in this one when after giving up two hits Vlad Guerrero Jr. grounded out bringing home a run getting the Blue Jays an early lead. Then Giants villain Justin Turner got an RBI on a sac fly, followed up by a homer from Danny Jansen who snuck one over the left field wall putting Toronto up 3-0 in the first inning.

The Giants did quickly respond in the bottom of the first when all-star Heliot Ramos smoked a two-run homer over the center field wall getting his 14th HR of the season making it a 3-2 ballgame.

Problems wouldn’t arise again for Hicks until the fourth inning when Leo Jiménez smacked an RBI single to center field. Then in the fifth Spencer Horwitz lead off the inning with a bomb to right field as the solo shot was his fourth of the season. After hitting Justin Turner, the Giants would make a pitching change bringing in right-hander Randy Rodríguez.

The Giants relief pitching did their job in this one as they gave up no runs and only one walk.

Hicks finished his day pitching 4.1 innings giving up five earned runs, eight hits, and only managing to strike out one batter.

While Hicks had a rough day Gausman had a great outing pithing a solid seven innings only giving up two earned runs and striking out three.

Toronto would turn to Chad Green to close this game out who has been fantastic so far this season sporting a 1.57 ERA and 2-1 record.

That terrific play from Green continued in the ninth as he retired the Giants first two batters easily.

Down to their final out Mike Yastrzemski made things interesting with a solo home run over the right field wall making it a 5-3 game.

That’s as close as the Giants got as Wilmer Flores struck out swinging securing Toronto’s 43rd win of the season.

For the Blue Jays they had a combined 10 hits and got them from all over their lineup with Horwitz, Jansen, and Kevin Kiermaier tying for the lead with two hits each.

The only real standout batter in the Giants lineup was unsurprisingly Heliot Ramos with his two-run homer with Yaz picking up the other lone RBI on his solo shot in the ninth.

With the loss the Giants fall to 45-49 but will look to bounce back when they open up a three-game homestand against the tough Minnesota Twins tomorrow at 7:15 p.m.