Chicago White Sox’s Munetaka Murakami (5) and Colson Montgomery (12) celebrate after both scored on Andrew Benintendi’s two-run double during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the San Francisco Giants Friday, May 22, 2026, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

By Ryan Hannagan

San Francisco — The Giants and White Sox faced off for game one of a three game series Friday night at Oracle Park. After a heartbreaking loss that resulted in a sweep Wednesday afternoon in Arizona, the Giants looked to bounce out of the loss column with a series opening win, only to lose following a nine-run fourth inning rally. Final score, 9-4.

Giants manager Tony Vitello turned to right-handed pitcher Trevor McDonald for the start on the mound. McDonald had spent time bouncing between the AAA River Cats and the Giants this season, but entered Friday’s game with strong numbers for the orange and black. Through three starts, he owned a 2-0 record, 2.37 ERA and 1.00 WHIP. On the other side, the White Sox handed the ball to Davis Martin. Martin entered the game leading the American League with six wins while posting a 1.61 ERA, 0.982 WHIP and 3.0 WAR.

The first three innings were scoreless as both pitchers settled into an early rhythm. Giants starter Trevor McDonald was perfect through three innings before the White Sox offense erupted in the fourth. Chicago opened the inning with back-to-back hit batters before Colson Montgomery’s infield single loaded the bases. With one out, Chase Meidroth drew a walk to force in the game’s first run. Andrew Benintendi followed with a two-run double, and Edgar Quero added an RBI hit to make it 4-0.

The White Sox were far from finished. Derek Hill’s RBI single pushed the lead to 5-0 and prompted manager Tony Vitello to turn to the bullpen. Ryan Borucki entered and immediately hit Nick Antonacci, marking the second time Antonacci had been hit by a pitch in the inning, making him just the seventh player since 2000 to be hit twice in the same frame. With the bases loaded, Munetaka Murakami cleared them with a three-run double to extend the lead to 8-0. Miguel Vargas then reached on an infield single that got away from Rafael Devers, allowing Murakami to score and cap the nine-run inning before Montgomery struck out to end the frame.

The damage had been done. 13 at bats, five hits, nine runs. Boos rained down from the fans at Oracle Park. The nine allowed to the White Sox in one inning is the most runs allowed in a single inning by the Giants since August 16th, 2020 vs the Athletics (also nine). They have seen a lot of struggles lately, and that 4th inning symbolically captured how this season has come to be for the Giants so far.

The Giants half of the 4th inning was a polar opposite to the White Sox’. They went down in order, one-two-three.

The remainder of the game the White Sox were kept off the board. The Giants attempted to mount a comeback with a three run 5th inning and another added run in the 6th. The four runs were too little too late for the Giants, as the score ended 9-4.

Despite the unfavorable score, the 37,524 in attendance were still lively. Starting in the 7th, the MLB-wide “tarps off” trend came alive at Oracle Park. Beginning in the centerfield bleachers, a group of an estimated 50-75 fans began waving their shirts over their heads like rally towels. Soon the rest of Oracle Park caught on, and fans in every section were waving their shirts with pride. It was the loudest the ball park got all night, and a witty way to go about the situation on the field. No luck from the rally tarps in igniting a Giants comeback, but fun at the ballpark on a cold San Francisco night.

With Friday’s loss the Giants move to 20-31, a season-low 11 games under .500 after four straight losses. Two wins in their last nine. Davis Martin got the win, his 7th on the season leading the American League. His ERA now sits at 2.04, good enough for eighth-lowest in the MLB.

Game two is Saturday, first pitch at 1:05 p.m. PST. RHP Erick Fedde scheduled to be on the mound for the White Sox. RHP Adrian Houser gets the nod for the Giants.