Arizona Diamondbacks third base coach Shaun Larkin (88) congratulates Ketel Marte (right) after hitting a two run home run in top of the fourth inning against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park in San Francisco (AP News photo)

Wednesday, May 14, 2025

Oracle Park

San Francisco, California

Arizona Diamondbacks 8 (23-21)

San Francisco Giants 7 (25-19)

Win: Ryan Thompson (1-0)

Loss: Jordan Hicks (1-6)

Save: Shelby Miller (3)

Time: 3:14

Attendance: 30,078

By Stephen Ruderman

The Giants came back from down 8-2 to put the tying run 90 feet away at third base in the bottom of the ninth inning, but at the end, the Diamondbacks held on to win this thriller by a final of 8-7 Wednesday.

After a wild win Tuesday night, the Giants looked to take the series over their division rivals Wednesday. However, Giants’ starter Jordan Hicks has had his struggles in the early going this season, and they would continue Wednesday.

Katel Marte shot a home run just fair down the right field line with one out in the top of the first inning to give the Diamondbacks an early 1-0 lead. Arizona then scored two more runs in the top of the second on RBI base-hits by Geraldo Perdomo and Alek Thomas.

The Diamondbacks led 3-0, and they looked to blow it open early, as they still had the bases loaded with nobody out. Hicks caught a break when Corbin Carroll lined a bullet to first-baseman David Villar, who turned an unassisted double play. Marte, who had homered an inning prior, struck out to end the inning, and Hicks got out of it down by just three.

The Giants had their response against Diamondbacks’ starter Eduardo Rodrigurez in the bottom of the second. Just like last night, the suddenly-hot Christian Koss came up with the bases loaded and one out. He didn’t hit a grand slam like last night, but he fisted a base-hit to right, which knocked in Willy Adames to put the Giants on the board. Heliot Ramos then knocked in catcher Sam Huff with a sacrifice fly to right to make it 3-2.

However, the struggles continued for Hicks in the top of the third. Lourdes Gurriel led off the inning with a double, and after Josh Naylor got Gurriel over to third on a bloop single, Hicks was done after just two-plus innings.

Bob Melvin brought up the reliable Hayden Birdsong. Birdsong has been off to a great start this season, and he came into today’s game with a 1.33 ERA. Unfortunately, this would not be Birdsong’s day, as Eugenio Suarez greeted him with a three-run home run to left to open Arizona’s lead back up to 6-2.

After the Giants went down one, two, three against Rodriguez in the bottom of the third, Birdsong was tagged for another home run with one out in the top of the fourth. This one was the second home run of the day for Katel Marte, who hit a two-run shot over the high wall in right-center. The Diamondbacks now had an 8-2 lead.

However, despite their recent offensive struggles, the Giants have never given up, and they have been known to come back and win games. The Giants put runners at first and second with two outs in the bottom of the fourth for Heliot Ramos. Ramos lined a double down the left field line, and both runners scored to make it 8-4, and the Giants had sent their message.

Birdsong got through the fifth, and Spencer Bivens pitched scoreless innings in the sixth and seventh.

Though they went down scoreless in the fifth and sixth, the Giants continued to chip away at Arizona’s lead in the bottom of the seventh against Ryne Nelson. Wilmer Flores singled with one out, and Jung Hoo Lee hit a two-run home run to right-center to make it 8-6.

Erik Miller threw a one, two, three top of the eighth, and Nelson retired the first two men he faced in the bottom of the eighth. Then there was some drama. Koss drew a walk, and Heliot Ramos reached on an infield hit to third. However, Koss rounded second and collided with Diamondbacks’ shortstop Geraldo Perdomo. Koss fell to the ground and appeared to be hurt, and he was promptly tagged out.

However, after Melvin came out to argue, the umpires called Type 2 obstruction on Perdomo. Type 2 obstruction is called when a runner is impeded by a fielder without the ball while a play is not being made on him. With type 2 obstruction, the play continues, and then the umpires determine where the runner would have gone had the obstruction not occurred.

Usually, if a player stops after Type 2 obstruction is called and stays put or assumes he’s entitled to the next base—as is the case with Type 1 obstruction, which is called when a runner is being impeded by a fielder without the ball while a play is being made on him—and he gets tagged out in the process, the out stands.

Diamondbacks Manager Torey Lovullo was furious. His argument very well may have been that Koss was sitting on the ground after the obstruction, and thus should have been out. However, since Koss was hurt and unable to get up and go back to second, he was awarded second base to nullify the obstruction. What also complicated things was that the obstruction was not called until after the play ended.

First Base Umpire and Crew Chief Mark Ripperger explained the crew’s decision to Lovullo, who would be thrown out of the game. On the other hand, Melvin and Giants Third Base Coach Matt Williams did not like that Koss was unable to move up to third.

However, as I mentioned earlier, Koss would have been awarded third on Type 1 obstruction if a play was being made on him while he was impeded. Since this was Type 2 obstruction, because play was not being made on Koss, he had to stay at second.

After all the chaos ended, Wilmer Flores popped out to end the inning.

Giants’ closer Ryan Walker pitched a scoreless inning in the top of the ninth, and the Giants rallied against Shelby Miller in the bottom of the ninth.

Matt Chapman hit a base-hit to left with one out, and then Willy Adames hit a ground-rule double to left-center. After being down 8-2 back in the fourth inning, the Giants had the tying run in scoring position with one out in the bottom of the ninth.

Patrick Bailey, who came in for Huff to catch in the top of the inning, drew a walk to load the bases for Mike Yastrzemski. Yastrzemski struck out swinging, and Melvin sent in LaMonte Wade to pinch-hit for Villar. Wade walked, and Chapman scored to make it 8-7.

Now, the tying run was standing just 90 feet away at third, and the winning run was in scoring position at second. Up came Koss with a chance to be the hero. He took the first two pitches for strikes, and then he took two more pitches to work the count to 2-2. At the end, Koss flew out to center-fielder Alek Thomas in shallow right-center, and the Giants came up just short.

The Diamondbacks ended up taking the series, and it was a tough loss for the Giants. However, the fact that the Giants came back from down 8-2 to put the tying run at third in the ninth shows just how good, resilient and determined the 2025 Giants are. It was a tough loss, but the Giants should hold their heads high as they leave the ballpark and be ready to go against the A’s on Friday.

Eduardo Rodriguez only pitched four innings, so it was Ryan Thomas, who pitched the bottom of the fifth for the Diamondbacks, who got the win. Jordan Hicks took the loss, and Shelby Miller picked up his third save.

The Giants fall to 25-19, and they will get a day off on Thursday. On Friday, the Oakland/Sacramento A’s will come to Oracle Park for a three-game set. Giants’ ace Logan Well (4-3, 2.60 ERA) will take the ball in the series opener Friday night. The A’s have yet to announce their starter.

First pitch will be at 7:15 p.m.