Atlanta Braves’ Ozzie Albies, center, runs to first after hitting an RBI sacrifice fly in front of San Francisco Giants pitcher Trevor McDonald (72) during the fifth inning of a baseball game in San Francisco, Friday, June 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn)

By Lincoln Juarez 

SAN FRANCISCO – Last week in Atlanta the Giants took the first two games out of three from the Braves in the same day due to inclement weather that pushed the final half of game one a day later. San Francisco swept the partial doubleheader scoring a total of 14 runs in those two games including a combined six home runs. Friday night in the city by the Bay the Braves got a hold of the Giants offense and didn’t let go, holding them to just one run which came in the first inning. 

A short while past 24 hours since the Giants’ bullpen blew a ninth inning lead to the A’s,  Trevor McDonald (2-5, 4.93 ERA) toed the rubber on Orange Friday at Oracle Park. McDonald held the Braves scoreless in the first but proceeded to allow a run in three of the next four innings. Atlanta had a 3-1 lead when McDonald was pulled after 5.1 innings, giving up seven hits and three earned runs. Former Giants Dom Smith and Mauricio Dubon were in on the action for Atlanta, Smith with an RBI and Dubon with two runs scored. 

Three members of San Francisco’s bullpen relieved McDonald after a disastrous Thursday afternoon where they gave up seven runs across the final three innings of the game to blow a four-run lead and cost Landen Roupp his sixth win of the season. 

Friday night was different and the bullpen kept the Braves scoreless after McDonald’s departure. Gage, Hentges, and Houser combined for 3.2 scoreless, one-hit innings. 

With the bullpen doing their part, the Giants’ offense had countless opportunities to cash in and tie the game or even take the lead. Instead the team went 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position, left nine runners on base, and failed to score after the first inning. Capped off by Luis Arraez making a poor read on a ground ball and getting thrown out at third base after his leadoff double in the first, and Willy Adames getting doubled up at first base on a shallow fly ball to center, it was a brutal night for the Giants’ offense. 

The only bright spot in the batter’s box for the Orange and Black was catcher Drew Cavanaugh’s first big-league hit in his Major League debut. He went 1-for-3 with a walk and a strikeout. 

Atlanta used six pitchers, including starter Reynaldo Lopez (3-1, 3.50 ERA) to carve up the Giants’ order and secure game one to start their weekend in the Bay. Raisel Iglesias earned his 16th save of the season and Trevor McDonald fell to 2-6. Saturday night ace Logan Webb (4-5, 3.35 ERA) will try to get the Giants back in the win column against the Braves’ Bryce Elder (5-5, 3.71 ERA). First pitch at 6:05pm.