San Francisco Giants starter Trevor McDonald allowed only one hit over six innings pitched against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field in Phoenix on Wed Jul 8, 2026 (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

The first four innings of this game was a good old fashion pitchers duel until the San Francisco Giants broke through scoring three runs in the top of the fifth inning. Both starting pitchers Trevor McDonald for the Giants and Arizona Diamondbacks starter Zac Gallen were terrific through the fourth inning.

The Giants broke through in the fifth inning with a couple of home runs one from Heliot Ramos and a second off the bat of Victor Bericoto. In the very next inning San Francisco scored three more runs taking a 6-0 lead into the top of the eighth inning. The Giants had finally beaten the Arizona Diamondbacks this season despite a very shaky eighth inning that saw the Diamondbacks score four runs. The final was 6-4 in favor of San Francisco.

GAME RECAP

The first four innings of this game was a pitchers duel with the Giants Trevor McDonald and Arizona’s Zac Gallen putting on quite a show. McDonald gave up one single through the four innings and Gallen also gave up one hit. They were both terrific until it came to the fifth inning.

San Francisco turned the entire game around in the top of the fifth inning. Heliot Ramos got the Giants on the scoreboard with a home run to center taking a 1-0 lead. This was his sixth home run this season. Victor Bericoto came to the plate and hit a 2-run home run his fourth of the season and San Francisco had taken a 3-0 lead.

The Giants would double their lead in the top of the sixth inning scoring three more runs. Heliot Ramos tripled Rafael Devers home for the first run of the inning. Jung Hoo Lee singled Ramos home for the second run and they capped the inning off with a Drew Cavanaugh single that drove Lee home. It had been another tremendous inning for San Francisco now leading 6-0.

The Giants had kept the Diamondbacks off the scoreboard through seven innings but that all came to an end in the bottom of the eighth inning. It was a very sloppy inning for San Francisco.

Arizona cut the Giants lead significantly starting with a Pavin Smith single that drove Nolan Arenado home for the first run. Ketel Marte doubled and TommyTroy scored on a throwing error by shortstop Christian Koss followed by another run scored by Smith cutting the Giants lead in half.

Arizona would score a fourth run with Marte scoring on a Corbin Carroll ground out. Koss would have a second error in the inning. It had been a tough one for relief pitchers Ryan Walker and Dylan Smith giving up four runs in the inning. Arizona had new life now only trailing by two runs 6-4

Going into the bottom of the ninth inning the Diamondbacks were now three outs away from losing this game. Despite a forgettable eighth inning San Francisco held on to beat the Diamondbacks 6-4 a winner over Arizona for the first time this year.

GAME NOTES

This had been a much better start for the San Francisco Giants (36-50). In the first two games of this series Arizona (43-43) had scored early never allowing the Giants to take the lead until Wednesday night. The Giants had 11 hits in the game, the Diamondbacks seven.

The two home runs in the fifth inning off the bats of Heliot Ramos and Drew Bericoto turned this game around. San Francisco added three more runs in the sixth inning but they let the Diamondbacks back in the game in the bottom of the eighth inning giving up hits along with some ugly errors by shortstop Christian Koss. San Francisco was able to hang on to beat Arizona for the first time this season 6-4 avoiding the sweep.

San Francisco starting pitcher Tyler McDonald had a terrific game. He pitched six innings allowing only one hit with five strikeouts. He was spectacular. Arizona starter Zac Gallen also had a nice start through four innings before it all went south in the fifth inning.

San Francisco will now head to Colorado for their next series with the Rockies that gets underway this Friday. Probable on the mound for the Giants will be Logan Webb. He has a 5-5 win/loss record and a 3.09 ERA. The Rockies are right now undecided as to who will take the mound on Friday night. First pitch for this game is scheduled for 5:10 PM.

Barbara Mason is a San Francisco Giants road reporter for http://www.sportsradioservice.com