San Francisco Giants Osleivis Basabe is congratulated in the San Francisco dugout after hitting a two run home run in the top of the third inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park Sat Aug 1, 2026 (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

The San Francisco Giants (47-63) have really struggled when they fall behind early in games. They scored early in game one of their series with the San Diego Padres (56-54) and won that game. They were shutout in game two losing that game 7-0.

They fell behind in game three Saturday trailing 2-0 but not only tied up the game but took the lead in the third inning. Home runs had played a huge role in the early innings of this game. In the third inning Osleivis Basabe hit a two-run home run and the game was tied.

They went on to load the bases and the Padres walked in a run giving San Francisco the 3-2 lead. The lead was short-lived when in the fourth inning the Padre’s Freddie Fermin hit a two-run homer taking back the lead 4-3.

It remained a one-run game going into the top of the sixth inning. The Padres scored a run in the bottom of the sixth inning taking the 5-3 lead into the eighth inning. Padres closer Mason Miller took the mound looking to get out of a sticky situation with the bases loaded and one out.

Miller got the second out but gave up a Basabe double driving Adames and Devers home to tie up the game at 5-5. It was a new ball game. San Francisco had a great chance in the ninth inning but could not come up with timely hits and let the Padres walked this one off 6-5.

GAME RECAP

The first at bat the Giants Bryce Eldridge hit a single in the first inning but the Padres starting pitcher Walker Buehler finished off the inning. San Diego got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the inning.

With two outs, Manny Machado walked followed by a Ty France single and a Jackson Merrill double. The Merrill double drove both Machado and France home for a 2-0 lead. As we have seen far too often the Giants again fell behind early.

The second inning was a good one for both pitchers going three and out. Despite the rough opening inning, Tyler Mahle remained in the game and had a really good inning.

San Francisco was now looking at playing from behind. They got a single from Drew Gilbert to start the third inning trying to get a rally going. Basabe batting last delivered a two-run home run and this game was tied.

Back-to-back-to-back singles loaded the bases for San Francisco and Buehler walked a run in and the Giants took a 3-2 lead going into the bottom of the third. Mahle gave up a single in the inning but nothing else and the Giants took the lead into the fourth inning.

The Giants only managed a Drew Gilbert single to start the fourth. Koss hit into a double play and Basabe grounded out. In the bottom of the fourth Luis Rengifo reached first base on a walk and Freddy Fermin hit a two run home run taking back the lead for the Padres for 4-3 lead.

San Francisco had two runners on base with one out in the top of the fifth inning but left them both stranded. The Giants again left runners standed. Mahle had another nice inning for the Giants in the bottom of the fifth going three and out.

The Giants did not get much going in the top of the sixth inning still trailing 4-3. The Padres however did extend their lead in the bottom of the inning. With two outs, San Diego’s Xavier Bogaerts singled reaching second base on a balk. Fermin singled Bogaerts home and the Padres had a 5-3 lead. Keaton Winn had relieved Mahle on the mound in the sixth inning looking to keep San Francisco in this game.

It was three and out for the Giants in the top of the seventh inning. Although only two runs behind, it was getting late in the game and they were six outs away from another loss. Winn held up his end of the deal only giving up a single but getting out of the inning.

There was a change on the mound for San Diego in the eighth inning. Jeremiah Estrada was the third relief pitcher for the Padres in this game. San Francisco needed hits and they got a Rafael Devers singled and an Adames walk.

With two runners on base and no outs the Giants had a great shot at a rally with Daniel Susac at the plate. Susac singled and San Francisco again had the bases loaded. Drew Gilbert struck out for the first out, San Diego was two outs away from getting out of the inning and there was a change on the mound the Padres bringing in the “Reaper” closer extraordinaire Mason Miller.

He got the second out at the expense of Grant McCray. When it looked like the Padres would get out of the inning, Basabe who was having a terrific game doubled Adames and Susac home and this game was tied 5-5. The game went into the ninth inning all locked up.

Miller stayed in the game in the top of the ninth inning facing Jung Hoo Lee. The Giants already had 12 hits in the game and needed just a few more with a great chance to win this game. Miller struck out Lee, he went on to strike out Heliot Ramos and with two outs walked Rafael Devers.

Willy Adames popped out for the third out. There were no timely hits for the Giants when they were so badly needed. San Francisco’s Dylan Smith would take the mound looking to take this game into extra innings. On a 3-2 pitch Bogaerts doubled with no outs. A perfect Fermin bunt advanced Bogaerts to third base with one out.

San Francisco got the second out and they intentionally walked Fernando Tatis Jr. needing one more out to go into extra innings. They couldn’t come up with that final out. Jake Cronenworth singled and Bogaerts scored for the walk-off 6-5. The Padres had some quality hits in the bottom of the ninth clinching the win.

GAME NOTES

San Diego took control of this game Saturday night. They scored early and kept the pressure on San Francisco making them come from behind several times. The Padres put runs on the board early and never completely let the Giants settle in.The Padres excelled in three phases -pitching, defense and timely hitting.

The San Diego starting pitcher Walker Buehler gave the Padres a quality start. He kept the Giants from stringing together rallies and forced them to play from behind. The Padres bullpen slammed the door on San Francisco. Once Buehler was relieved the Giants didn’t get many chances to mount a comeback. The Padres got timely hits with runners on base instead of leaving opportunities stranded. Their offense was more efficient than the Giants.

San Francisco had their chances in this game. The failed to get the big hits when they needed them the most. This kept them from building any sustained offense. Despite having more hits in this game than San Diego their hits were not timely where the Padres got hits when they were needed the most. All in all the Giants put up a heck of a fight but just came up short.

Mahle went 5 2/3 innings allowing five hits, five earned runs two walks with nine strikeouts. Giant relief pitchers Keaton Winn, Caleb Kilian, and Dylan Smith were solid with only Smith giving up a run in the ninth for the San Diego walk-off win.

Buehler pitched 4 1/3 innings allowing eight hits, three earned runs, two walks with one strikeout. Padre relief pitchers Wandy Peralta, Adrian Morejon, Jeremiah Estrada and Mason Miller got the job done with the two tying runs given up by Estrada.

Sunday in game four San Francisco will be looking to tie up the series after this disappointing loss. Landon Roupp will take the mound for San Francisco with a 7-9 win/loss record and a 4.12 ERA. The Padres plan on starting Michael King. He has a 6-7 win/loss record and a 3.38 ERA. First pitch for game four is scheduled for 1:10 PM.