Tampa Bay second baseman Richie Palacios (left) tags out San Francisco Giants baserunner Casey Schimtt (10) attempting to steal second base at Tropicana Field in Tampa Bay on Sat May 2, 2026 (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

The San Francisco Giants (13-20) lost a second game in their series to the Tampa Bay Rays 5-1.The Giants will be looking to avoid a second sweep in a row Sunday in game three of the three game set in Tampa Bay.

No matter how you look at it, nothing is working for the Giants right now. It’s a hot mess, the answers are slow to come and it’s just pure frustration for San Francisco. They have been moving the starting line ups around trying to right the ship. Nothing seems to be working for San Francisco.

Game recap: The first three innings were scoreless neither team able to generate much offense. The Giants had a single in the first, three and out in the second and a walk in the third inning but not much else. The Rays had much the same with a single in the first, a three and out in the second and a single in the third.

San Francisco had a fourth inning single but the Rays showed some signs of turning things around. Tampa Bay hit a couple of singles (Junior Caminero and Jonathan Aranda) and with the two runners on base, Jake Fraley singled, their third of the inning, driving Caminero home for the first run of the game taking a 1-0 lead.

The Giants had another quiet inning with a Drew Gilbert single in the fifth but that would be all. The game then went into a very long bottom of the fifth that saw the Giants load the bases. Giants pitcher Landon Roupp walked two runners and allowed a double and two singles.

The Rays Hunter Feduccia doubled to start the bottom of the inning followed by a Taylor Walls walk. Chandler Simpson successfully bunted loading the bases. Cedric Mullins also walked and the Rays had a second run now leading 2-0.

Jonathan Aranda singled driving Simpson and Walls home extending the Rays lead out to 4-0. The Giants then brought in Matt Gage to relieve Roupp. He did give up a walk but got out of the inning.

San Francisco finally got on the scoreboard in the sixth inning. Luis Arraez doubled and Rafael Devers also doubled driving Arraez home and the Giants had their first run of the game.

That would be the only run but the San Francisco offense finally had a two hit inning a good sign that things may be turning around for the Giants in this game. The Rays went three and out in the bottom of the inning more good news but it was late in the game and San Francisco needed to make a move. Ryan Borucki relieved Gage in the sixth inning. Gage allowed no runs and no hits and only one walk.

Just when it looked like things were turning around, the Giants struggled through the top of the seventh inning. They had a Heliot Ramos single but not much else. The Giants had a pitching change in the bottom of the seventh inning; Gregory Santos came in to relieve Borucki who finished with no hits, no runs and no walks. Santos got out of the inning and it was onto the eighth.

Arraez had his third hit of the game in the top of the eighth but that would be the only hit for the Giants in the inning. It was just more of the same for San Francisco. The Rays scored an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth driving their lead to 5-1. Jonny DeLuca who had doubled scored on a throwing error.

The Giants were down to their final three outs in the game. Casey Legumina would take the mound looking to close out this game for the Rays. Matt Chapman would strike out, Willy Adames lined out and Ramos ground out and that was the ball game. The Giants had lost their fifth game in a row their longest drought this season. The final was 5-1.

It was just more of the same for San Francisco. They had only scored one run in this entire series. Frustration abounds and just when it looked as if things were turning around with three series wins in a row it all unraveled. We can see why it is happening but turning it around is really tough to figure out. San Francisco has been through this before last season although it happened much later in the season.

Giant post game notes: Saturday evening the Giants took on the Rays in game two of their three game series. San Francisco is in deep trouble offensively unable to generate hits let alone runs. A quandary considering the roster. They have some outstanding players on this team and so it is a real mystery.

The bottom line is that this team somehow has to get going offensively. So easy to say but far more difficult to actually do. The Giants Chung Hoo Lee hit in top the batting order in an effort to shake things up trying to determine what is going to gets things turned around Lee went 0-4 without a basehit. The team desperately needs their offense to heat up.

The Giants will get one last chance Sunday to avoid a second sweep in a row. Tyler Mahle will take the mound with a 1-4 win/loss record and a 5.87 ERA. The Rays will start Steven Matz. He has a 4-1 win/loss record with a 4.31 ERA. First pitch for this game is scheduled for 10:40 AM.