Chicago Cubs Carson Kelly (15) rounds the bases in the bottom of the sixth inning as the San Francisco Giants third baseman Matt Chapman (foreground) can only watch at Wrigley Field in Chicago Mon May 5, 2025 (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

The San Francisco Giants (22-14) kept pace with the Chicago Cubs (22-14) going into the fourth inning. With the game tied, the Cubs made their move scoring 2 runs taking a 4-2 lead. The sixth inning was the killer for the Giants. The Cubs scored five runs winning the game 9-2. Chicago’s defense was superb finishing the game with 9 hits and put out an equally dangerous offensive effort.

Game recap: Two quick opening innings took this game into the third inning. The Giants had one hit in the first two innings, a single by Matt Chapman in the second but that was it for the offense. The Cubs also had two quiet innings to start the game.

The Giants went three up, three out in the third inning but the Cubs Dansby Swanson doubled in the bottom of the third followed by top of the order batter Ian Happ who hit a two run home to right center taking a 2-0 lead. The Giants had an error in the first that would be followed by more infield problems.

San Francisco tied up the game in the fourth inning when Luis Matos homered to left center driving Matt Chapman home for the 2-2 score. The Giants rally was stopped short when the Cubs pushed the score back out to 4-2.

With two outs the Giants were almost out of the inning but the Cubs Nico Hoerner singled, Dansby Swanson singled and Nicky Lopez singled in an offensive flurry. Swanson’s single drove in base runners Crow-Armstrong and Hoerner who both scored for the 4-2 tally. San Francisco had a second Giant’s error in the inning. San Francisco finally got out of the inning but the damage had been done.

The Cubs had more in store for the visiting Giant’s. Chicago went crazy in the fateful sixth inning scoring five runs and taking a 9-2 lead. Carson Kelly got the inning going with a solo home run.

The Cubs would extend their lead when they loaded the bases with no outs. Relief pitcher Spencer Bevins had a rough time loading the bases and walking in another run for a 6-4 lead. Hoerner sacrificed and a third run crossed home plate.

Chicago finished off the inning with a Seiya Susaki single that drove in both Nicky Lopez and Dansby Swanson for a 9-2 lead going into the seventh inning.

A quiet seventh and eighth inning took San Francisco into the top of the ninth inning down to their last three outs. The Giants went quietly into the night losing game one to Chicago 9-2. The four errors San Francisco had contributed to this loss. The Giants have had quite a time with errors this season; already 20 so far.

San Francisco Giant’s starting pitcher Landen Roupp went 5.0 innings finishing with five hits, two earned runs, no walks and four strikeouts.

Game notes: Monday evening the Giants took on the Cubs kicking off a six game road trip. San Francisco has dropped into third place in the National League West but is within a game and half of first place. Both clubs have good records but Chicago is holding down first place in the National League Central , three full games ahead of the second place Reds. The Cubs won their series with the Brewers over the weekend and the Giants also won their weekend series against the Colorado Rockies. The opening game of this game was pretty clear that the Cubs have the pitching which they got out of starter Matthew Boyd and plenty of hitting with a five run rally in the bottom of the sixth.

Tuesday the Giants Justin Verlander (0-2 ERA 4.38) will take another crack at it on the mound looking for his first win as a Giant. The Cubs will start Colin Rea 2-0 who comes in with a 1.46 ERA. First pitch for this game is scheduled for 4:40 PM

6th inning bases loaded no outs