Rafael Devers designated hitter belts a single against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the top of the first inning at Dodgers Stadium in Los Angeles on Sun Sep 21, 2025 (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

Sunday’s game was scoreless until the bottom of the seventh inning when the Los Angeles Dodgers (88-67) scored taking a 1-0 lead. San Francisco (76-79) rallied in the eighth inning scoring three runs taking a 3-1 lead and the eventual win.

Giants starter Trevor McDonald was spotless in his first start and the Giants defense was great. Relief pitching was equally amazing and this was a nice win for San Francisco.

This game was one of those good old-fashioned pitching duels with McDoanld pitching his young heart out. Through six innings he had allowed six hits but no runs and three strikeouts. After six innings this was a scoreless game. The Dodgers Emmet Sheehan gave up one hit and ten strikeouts through seven innings. This had been a great game for both pitchers.

McDonald was relieved in the seventh inning by Spencer Bivens who was spotless with no hits, no runs, and no walks. He was relieved in the eighth inning by Joey Lucchesi.

The Dodgers got busy in the seventh inning with two runners on base, Max Muncy and Andy Pages, with no outs. Los Angeles broke the tie with a run when Michael Conforto singled Muncy home and the Dodgers had taken a 1-0 lead.

The Dodgers were looking for more with two on base and still no outs. San Francisco got out of the inning giving up only the one run and it was on to the eighth inning. This game was moving along at light-speed going through seven innings in under two hours.

In the top of the eighth inning the Giants mounted a rally of their own. Patrick Bailey hit a ground rule double and Christian Koss scored to tie up this game. San Francisco would load the bases with one out and Willy Adames at the plate.

Adames walked and Drew Gilbert scored giving San Francisco a 2-1 lead. The bases remained loaded with one out and Matt Chapman grounded out to shortstop and Bailey scored for a 3-1 San Francisco lead.

The Giants took the 3-1 lead into the ninth inning three outs away from the win. San Francisco did not score in the top of the ninth inning and it would be up to Lucchesi to get the bottom of the ninth inning going in the right direction.

Lucchesi got Max Muncy to struck out and then he was relieved by Ryan Walker who came in to close out this game with the one out. Walker got the big second out and Michael Conforto came to the plate the Dodgers last chance with the two outs. Walker got him to strike out and that was the ball game with the Giants taking game four 3-1 and avoiding the sweep.

Game notes: Sunday afternoon the Giants wrapped up their four-game series with the Los Angeles Dodgers under sunny skies. It has hardly been sunny skies for the Giants dropping the first three games of the series and but avoided getting swept in game four.

With six games left in the season and the Giants three games back in the Wild Card the Giants most likely will not be a part of the post-season. The promise they showed a few weeks ago took a nose-dive with some very disappointing games. Its not the way they wanted to end their season.

The Giants will now head home to finish up the season starting with a series against the St. Louis Cardinals. Justin Verlander is the probable pitcher for the Giants. He has a 3-10 win/loss record and a 3.75 ERA. The Cardinals will probably start Michael McGreevy. McGreevy has a 7-3 win/loss record and a 4.08 ERA. First pitch for this game is scheduled for 6:45 PM.