San Francisco Giant Casey Schmitt (10) strikes out against Arizona Diamondbacks pitching as the Giants get blown out in a 12-2 laugher at Chase Field in Phoenix on Mon May 18, 2026 (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

The damage done by the Arizona Diamondbacks (23-23) in the first five innings of today’s game one with the San Francisco Giants (20-28) spelled the difference in the Giants 12-2 loss Monday night. The Diamondbacks scored seven runs in the first three innings of the game and they pretty much coasted for the rest of the game. The Giants only had eight hits to Arizona’s 16.

Game recap: The Diamondbacks started off this game on one crazy roll. They had taken a series from the Colorado Rockies over the weekend and they were brimming with confidence.

They had a productive first inning scoring four runs and they did it via a grand slam. Nolan Arenado homered with Ketel Marte, Corbin Carroll and Geraldo Perdomo on base for a quick 4-0 lead to start the game. San Francisco got out of the inning before more damage could be done. The Giants had gone three and out in the top of the inning.

The Giants were able to score in the top of the second when Willy Adames homered and San Francisco was on the scoreboard with a lot of ball still to be played. They would need some quick innings; they would need to keep Arizona from extending their lead.

A couple of walks and a triple later the Diamondbacks would indeed extend their lead to 5-1. Ryan Waldschmidt walked and then stole second base. He then advanced to third base on a throwing error by San Francisco catcher Eric Haase. Corbin Carroll tripled and Arizona had scored yet another run.

The Giants got going in the top of third with a Harrison Bader double and then a Jung Hoo Lee single got Bader to scoring position at third base. Luis Arraez hit a sacrifice and Bader scored adding another run but San Francisco was still trailing by a bit 5-2.

Every time the Giants even hinted at a comeback, the Diamondbacks answered with multiple runs. The third inning was no exception with Arizona scoring two more runs and taking a 7-2 lead. The Diamondbacks hit four singles in the bottom of the third inning. Tim Tawa singled both Ildemaro Vargas and Gabriel Moreno home.

The Giants were getting a few hits in every inning but left them for the most part stranded. They had a single and a walk in the fourth but that would be all. Robbie Ray got the Diamondbacks three and out in the fourth inning and for the first time in the game kept them off the scoreboard.

Arizona got after it scoring more runs in the bottom of the fifth inning taking a 12-2 lead as the hits kept coming for the Diamondbacks. After giving up two singles and a home run that would be it for pitcher Robbie Ray. He went 4 1/3 innings allowing 11 hits, 9 earned runs, 2 walks and one strikeout.

He had struggled from the start. JT Brubaker relieved Ray but not before allowing three hits and a run before getting out of the inning. The Diamondbacks were dominating leading 12-2 going into the sixth inning. It had been a most disappointing series opener for San Francisco. Through five innings the Giants had four hits, the Diamondbacks 14 hits.

The Giants finally put an end to the offensive flurry in the sixth inning but trailing 12-2 San Francisco was staring down a nearly impossible comeback. The Giants rallied in the eighth hitting a couple of singles (Brennan and Schmitt) with only one out. Rafael Devers hit into a double play and that was inning. Not a whole lot was going right for San Francisco. This game was pretty much a done deal mid-way through the game.

Game notes: The Giants came off a series win over the Sacramento Athletics over the Fri-Sun weekend. In game three of that series they crushed the A’s 10-1 and so they came into Monday nights 3-game series against the Diamondbacks with a whole lot of confidence.

It looked like that they put their offensive struggles behind them. Willy Adames had really stepped up as had Harrison Bader and Casey Schmitt. Schmitt had provided some much needed offense in the series in Sacramento.

The Giants as a whole had showed signs of life. They were quite a few games under .500 but have moved from last place in the National League West into fourth. Then came their meeting on Monday night with the Diamondbacks at Chase Field and they got clobbered 12-2 a opposite result from what they got on Sunday when they clobbered the A’s 10-1.

It was a quiet eighth and ninth inning for San Francisco on Monday night as they fell in game one to the Diamondbacks 12-2. It was a rough opening outing for the Giants as they look ahead to game two of the series Tuesday night. Landon Roupp will start for San Francisco. He has a 5-4 win/loss record and a 3.49 ERA. Arizona will start Ryne Nelson who currently has a 1-3 win/loss record and a 5.40 ERA. First pitch for this game is scheduled for 6:40 PM PDT.