Category: San Francisco Giants

San Francisco Giants podcast Stephen Ruderman: Bader with the hot bat looking for more RBIs; Schmitt also providing some offense

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San Francisco Giant Harrison Bader while on with NBC Sports gets something to drink from the Powerade can after their win against the Chicago White Sox on Sun May 24, 2026 (AP News photo)

San Francisco Giants podcast podcast Stepehen Ruderman:

#1 Harrison Bader getting his second grand slam in six days is one for the books and he was key in the San Francisco Giants laugher Saturday against the Chicago White Sox.

#2 Casey Schmitt also hit a home run and knocked in three runs. The Giants Willy Adames clouted a home run to help San Francisco end a four game losing streak.

#3 The Giants also got some offense from Matt Chapman, Daniel Susac, and Luis Arraez who got two hits each. Arraez has been producing at the plate for the Giants with a triple on Saturday and a hefty .323 average.

#4 The Giants who have scored 12 runs in their last four games put together two rallies on Saturday with three runs in the fourth and six runs in the fifth inning.

#5 Stephen, talk about Sunday’s starting pitchers for the Chicago White Sox LHP and looking for his third win this season Noah Schultz (2-3 ERA 4.93) and for the San Francisco Giants Robbie Ray (3-6 ERA 4.28)

Stephen Ruderman is a San Francisco Giants beat writer for http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Giants show serious resilience, and snap four-game slide with six-run fifth in 10-3 win over White Sox

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San Francisco Giants Harrison Bader (right) gets around on the baseball for a bottom of the fifth inning grand slam home run in front of Chicago White Sox catcher Drew Romo (left) at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Sat May 23, 2026 (AP News photo)

Saturday, May 23, 2026

Oracle Park

San Francisco, California

Chicago White Sox 3 (26-25)

San Francisco Giants 10 (21-31)

Win: Matt Gage (4-1)

Loss: Erick Fedde (0-5)

Time: 2:47

Attendance: 40,172

By Stephen Ruderman

SAN FRANCISCO–The Giants showed serious resilience Saturday, after losing a 3-0 lead, by responding with a six-run bottom of the fifth inning to blow the game open, and they snapped their four-game snide with a much-needed 10-3 win over the White Sox.

In seasons like this, it’s hard to mark one particular moment as the low point. Katel Marte’s walk-off home run off Matt Gage on Tuesday was brutal. The White Sox’ nine-run top of the fourth inning last night was ugly. Plain and simply, it has been a bad season for the Giants thus far. They came into Saturday’s game 11 games under .500 at 20-31, and in desperate need of a win.

Adrian Houser, who really came through when the Giants needed him to with a strong six-inning start in Sacramento on Sunday, took the ball Saturday. Houser was coming off three solid starts, to be exact.

Saturday, Houser retired the first seven men he faced to get through the first three innings pretty quickly. He then escaped a jam in the top of the fourth. The fact that the Giants got through the top of the fourth Saturday without a massive crooked number was a good omen.

Will Venable, whose old man and former Giant, Max, was here Saturday, decided to have a bullpen game for the White Sox. Left-hander Bryan Hudson was the first to go, and he threw a 1-2-3 bottom of the first inning. Hudson and Erick Fedde then combined for a 1-2-3 bottom of the second.

Bryce Eldridge was in the lineup for the fourth game in a row, which shows that pressure sometimes just may work. Eldridge led off the bottom of the third with a feisty 11-pitch at-bat that culminated with a line-drive base-hit to right field. Unfortunately, Harrison Bader immediately followed up Eldridge’s great at-bat by grounding into a double play.

One of the reasons I want the Giants to get back into it is that I don’t want them to trade Luis Arraez. He’s just too fun to watch. After Houser survived his jam in the top of the fourth Arraez led off the bottom of the fourth with a triple to triple’s alley in right-center. Casey Schmitt then hit a sacrifice fly to right to put the Giants on the board.

A sacrifice fly is a good way for an offense that can’t score runs to get on the board, but it still felt cheap. Good thing Rafael Devers followed that up with a base-hit to right. Matt Chapman also singled to right, and when Jarred Kelenic tried to get Rafi at third, Chapman aggressively took second. Up came Daniel Susac, and he lined a base-hit to left to knock in a pair and make it 3-0. The Giants had a chance to blow it open after Eldridge got his second hit of the game, but Bader and Drew Gilbert were unable to come through.

Houser escaped a jam in the fourth, but go figure: after the Giants finally had a big inning to put a crooked number on the board, the White Sox came right back with three runs to tie the game in the top of the fifth. That knocked Houser out of the game, and Matt Gage was the man who had to get out of it with the game still tied.

As bad as this season has been for the Giants, the fans have packed into Oracle Park all year, and have shown tremendous passion for this team, from the boos for their failures, to the massive euphoric cheers of their big hits and wins. The Giants themselves have shown tremendous resilience despite their poor season thus far. We saw it when they came back from three separate two-run deficits to beat the Pirates on Mother’s Day. Even during Tuesday night’s game in Arizona, the players on the bench showed tremendous enthusiasm after the double plays that got them out of the seventh and eighth innings.

The Giants showed that same resilience Saturday in the bottom of the fifth. Okay, Willy Adames flew out to start the inning, but Adames got a base-hit, and Casey Schmitt hit a big home run to left to put the Giants back ahead. It was Schmitt’s tenth home run of what is starting to turn into a breakout season for him.

Saturday was a gorgeous day at Oracle Park, but as can happen with gorgeous days, the sun can be a real problem. Chapman came up with two outs, and hit a popup along the line in very-shallow left that neither third-baseman Miguel Vargas nor shortstop Colson Montgomery could come with.

The ball fell in, and Chapman legged out a double. Susac and Eldridge walked to load the bases, and Venable brought in Jordan Leasure to face Bader. Bader hit a high popup along the third base line, but that was also lost in the sun, and it fell foul. Bader then hit a grand slam just to the right of straightaway center to send this sold-out crowd of 40,172 into oblivion, and blow the game open 9-3.

It was Bader’s second grand slam just this week. Of course, he hit the grand slam on Sunday in Sacramento. Still, that hardly pales in comparison to Casey Schmitt’s grand slams on back-to-back nights at Dodger Stadium last June.

Willy Adames hit a home run in the bottom of the eighth to make it 10-3. The Giants’ bullpen handled the fort the rest of the way. Gage went an inning and a third, and Sam Hentges threw a scoreless top of the eighth. Joel Peguero gave up back-to-back base-hits to start the top of the ninth, but he induced a double play, and ended up throwing a scoreless inning.

Let’s be honest, Saturday was an exorcism for the Giants. They played the kind of baseball that we have all known they are very much capable of playing. The fact that the Giants are so capable is what has made this start so frustrating. Too many players on this team have tried to be the hero, and have refused to shorten their swings in crucial RBI situations.

That is the biggest reason things have gone the way they have this season. Call me crazy, but if the Giants can start playing consistent station-to-station baseball like this going forward, I honestly believe they will get back into contention this season. I mean, they clearly still want to do something special this season. That is obvious by the way they play. The only question is whether they can keep it up, going forward.

Now, for the formalities. Matt Gage got the win in what was his first appearance since giving up the walk-off on Tuesday. He needed this. Erick Fedde took the loss.

The Giants improve to 21-31.

As for Sunday, the Giants have a chance to take the series. Robbie Ray (3-6 ERA 4.28) will get a chance to move on from his disastrous start in Arizona on Monday, and will take the ball. Noah Schultz (2-3 ERA 4.93) will go for the South-Siders.

First pitch will be at 1:05 p.m.

San Francisco Giants podcast Stephen Ruderman: Jung Hoo Lee out on 10 day IL back injury; Giants suffer 4th inning nine set back against Sox

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San Francisco Giants outfielder Jung Hoo Lee (51) is on the 10 day IL out with a back injury as of Fri May 22, 2026 (AP News photo)

San Francisco Giants podcast Stephen Ruderman:

#1 The Giants have now lost four straight games and are 2-7 in their last nine games. The loss on Friday night to the Chicago White Sox was not much of encouragement allowing nine runs in the top of the fourth inning at Oracle Park.

#2 Talk about pitcher Trevor McDonald he had a great break in with the Giants when he was called up and looked in command on Friday night until that fourth inning when the White Sox saw the baseball as big as beach balls.

#3 Also in the fourth inning McDonald and reliever Ryan Boruki hit outfielder Sam Antonacci it was the first time Giants pitchers hit the same batter whether it was the same pitcher or different pitchers.

#4 The Giants third baseman Matt Chapman has four extra base hits in his last six games. Chapman is hitting .304 with a .863 over the last six games.

#5 Talk about today’s starting pitchers for the White Sox RHP Erick Fedde (0-4 ERA 4.30) for the Giants RHP Andrian Houser (2-4 ERA 5.25) first pitch 1:05pm PDT

Stephen Ruderman is a San Francisco Giants beat writer for http://www.sportsradioservice.com

San Francisco Giants game wrap: Sox’ nine-run inning leads to victory over Giants, 9-4

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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.

San Francisco Giants podcast Augie Mesenburg: Giants pitching still struggling; Sox light up SF for nine run 4th inning; Tarps off doesn’t influence outcome

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San Francisco Giants starter Trevor McDonald allowed three hits and seven runs in the top of the eighth inning against the Chicago White Sox at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Fri May 22, 2026 (SF Giants Instagram file photo)

San Francisco Giants podcast Augie Mesenburg:

The San Francisco Giants are trying to find out what kind of team they are and starting pitcher Trevor McDonald got lit up in the top of the fourth inning by the Chicago White Sox for three hits and seven runs. Releiver Ryan Boruki got touched up following MacDonald 1.1 inning allowing two hits and one run.

The Giants are not playing that well they came off a three game sweep by the Arizona Diamondbacks on the road trip and were eaten up in the top of the ninth inning by the White Sox. McDonald had success in his first two outings for San Francisco but was lit up in his appearance against Chicago.

The Giants have a go at it again on Saturday starting pitcher for the White Sox RHP Erick Fedde (0-4 ERA 4.30) and for the Giants RHP Andrian Houser (2-4 ERA 5.25) first pitch 1:05pm PDT.

Augie Mesenburg is a podcast contributor at http://www.sportsradioservice.com and is a reporter for 1080 KWAI Honolulu

San Francisco Giants podcast Lincoln Juarez: Buster says bullpen will improve over time; Critics say two months should show some flashes

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San Francisco Giants team president Buster Posey said the Giants bullpen will get better over time during a local San Francisco radio interview on Thu May 21, 2026 (AP News photo)

San Francisco Giants podcast Lincoln Juarez:

#1 San Francisco Giants president Buster Posey says that not signing Edwin Diaz is a hypothetical wish and he is satisfied with who he has in the bullpen.

#2 Posey said that the Giants have some guys in the bullpen with good stuff but the results say otherwise the Giants are just hovering over last place by one game over the Colorado Rockies in the NL West and have lost six of their last ten and got shellacked by the Arizona Diamondbacks 12-2 on Monday and swept in a three game series the rest of the way.

#3 Posey says Keaton Winn and Caleb Killan is throwing the ball great this year and that the bullpen needs some time and that the Giants will have to see what they turn into. Is the ciritcs and the media’s confidence in Posey starting to show cracks.

#4 Posey said he has no regrets not only signing the following players Diaz who signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers for three years for $69M, Devin Williams signed with the New York Mets for three years at $51M, and Robert Suarez signed a $45 M deal with the Atlanta Braves for three years, $45M and the Baltimore Orioles signed Ryan Helsley for two years for $28M.

#5 Posey said that he doesn’t regret not signing those high priced bullpen artists “Do we think the cost-benefit of signing this guy is worth it?’ And we didn’t see it, so no, I don’t regret it.”

Lincoln Juarez does the San Francisco Giants podcasts Fridays at http://www.sporsradioservice.com

San Francisco Giants podcast Stephen Ruderman: Posey says a no signing Diaz move was not regrettable; Says give it time for bullpen to improve

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Los Angeles Dodgers releiver Edwin Diaz who is on the shelf for three months due to an elbow injury was the prized sought relief pitcher the Giants didn’t consider in the off season (AP file photo)

San Francisco Giants podcast Stephen Ruderman:

#1 San Francisco Giants president Buster Posey says that not signing Edwin Diaz is a hypothetical wish and he is satisfied with who he has in the bullpen.

#2 Posey said that the Giants have some guys in the bullpen with good stuff but the results say otherwise the Giants are just hovering over last place by one game over the Colorado Rockies in the NL West and have lost six of their last ten and got shellacked by the Arizona Diamondbacks 12-2 on Monday and swept in a three game series the rest of the way.

#3 Posey says Keaton Winn and Caleb Killan is throwing the ball great this year and that the bullpen needs some time and that the Giants will have to see what they turn into. Is the ciritcs and the media’s confidence in Posey starting to show cracks.

#4 Posey said he has no regrets not only signing the following players Diaz who signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers for three years for $69M, Devin Williams signed with the New York Mets for three years at $51M, and Robert Suarez signed a $45 M deal with the Atlanta Braves for three years, $45M and the Baltimore Orioles signed Ryan Helsley for two years for $28M.

#5 Posey said that he doesn’t regret not signing those high priced bullpen artists “Do we think the cost-benefit of signing this guy is worth it?’ And we didn’t see it, so no, I don’t regret it.”

Stephen Ruderman does the San Francisco Giants podcasts at http://www.sporsradioservice.com

Diamondbacks Shock San Francisco Winning Game Two In a Walk-Off 5-3

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San Francisco Giants pitcher Keaton Winn is fired up after getting the last out in the bottom of the seventh inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field in Phoenix on Tue May 19, 2026 (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

While the back-to-back home runs were exciting it was the sensational San Francisco (20-29) defense that almost put this game on ice. The Giants took the lead in the second inning with back-to-back solo home runs off the bats of Rafael Devers and Willy Adames but this had to be one of the best defensive games the Giants have played this season.

San Francisco fought off back-to-back bases loaded situations in the seventh and eighth innings. When victory was so very close with two outs in the ninth inning disaster struck when Ketel Marte hit a home run with two runners on base for the walk-off 5-3 (24-23) taking the series lead 2-0.

Game recap: The Diamondbacks got an early start scoring in the bottom of the first taking a 1-0 lead. San Francisco put Arizona on notice in the second inning with a flurry of hits. They tied up the game when Rafael Devers hit the first home run, a solo shot. The Devers long ball was followed by a Willy Adames home run giving the Giants a 2-1 lead. The Giants had more up their sleeve. Matt Chapman singled and a Daniel Susac double brought Chapman home extending their lead to 3-1. It had been the perfect start for San Francisco.

Both teams put on the brakes in the third and fourth innings, in fact neither team would score going into the bottom of the eighth inning. The Giants had a single in the third and a walk in the fourth inning. The Diamondbacks went three and out in both innings.

San Francisco got going in the top of the fifth via a Casey Schmitt single followed by a Devers double with two outs. Adames grounded out to end the top of the inning and the Giants had stranded a pair. Arizona had a couple of singles in the bottom of the inning but also left them stranded, the score remaining 3-1 in favor of San Francisco.

In the top of the sixth inning the Giants again stranded a pair. Daniel Susac had his second hit of the game and Chapman had walked. An insurance run or two would be what the Giants would be looking for in the latter innings. The Diamondbacks were hitting some rockets but the San Francisco defense was handling those hits pretty easily.

The Giants went three and out in the top of the seventh. After the seventh inning stretch, the Diamondbacks started off the bottom of the inning with a Nolan Arenado double followed by a Ildemaro Vargas single and Arizona had runners at the corners with no outs.

Giants pitcher Keaton Winn would load the bases with only one out. Once again the Giants came up with an amazing double play and the San Francisco defense continued to dominate. Arizona couldn’t get anything past them.

Going into the top of the eighth inning this game had seen five scoreless innings for both teams. It was the San Francisco defense that was holding onto the 3-1 lead. All the damage in the game had been done back in the second inning.

Again Arizona loaded the bases with only one out and San Francisco was facing another challenge. The Giants would be looking to Caleb Kilian to get out of this mess. Again San Francisco would turn the double play and get out of the inning.

The Giants would go three and out in the ninth. They were three outs away from tying the series. San Francisco got the first two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning. The Diamondbacks continued to fight scoring a run in the ninth.

With Ildemaro Vargas on base Adrian Del Castillo singled and it was a one run game 3-2. Arizona had a 2 out, 2 on situation. With Jose Fernandez and Ryan Waldschmidt on base Ketel Marte hit a home run and the Diamondbacks had the walk-off 5-3. San Francisco fought so hard in this game making this loss a tough one.

San Francisco starting pitcher finished the game going six innings allowing seven hits, one run, no walks and three strikeouts. Relief pitcher Keaton Winn got the GIants out of the bases loaded situation in the seventh inning and together Erik Miller and Caleb Kilian would get out of another bases loaded in the eighth. It just fell apart in the bottom of the ninth inning.

Game notes: The Giants came into Chase Field last night brimming with confidence after winning a series over the weekend against the Athletics. They were however treated with a dose of their own medicine losing the first game of the series with the Diamondbacks by a landslide 12-2 on Monday night.

San Francisco could not get much going at the plate finishing the game with eight hits but only the two runs. The Diamondbacks were hitting lights out with 16 hits and the 12 runs. Tuesday night San Francisco will be tried to get back in the series by winning game two but lost on a walk off three run home run by Ketel Marte in the last of the ninth with two out.

Wednesday the Giants will try to avoid a sweep after the disheartening walk-off win for the Diamondbacks on Tuesday night. Tyler Mahle will take the mound for the Giants. His win/loss record is 1-5 and his ERa 5.59. Arizona will start Merrill Kelly coming into the game with a 3-3 win/loss record and a 5.91 ERA. First pitch for game three is scheduled to start at 3:40 PM.

Giants Trounced By Diamondbacks In First Game of Series 12-2

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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.

San Francisco Giants game wrap: Giants battle wind, and score eight runs in eighth inning for 10-1 win and series win over A’s in Sacramento

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San Francisco Giants Casey Schmitt (10) slugs a single off the Sacramento A’s during the I 80 series at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento on Sun May 17, 2026 (AP News photo)

San Francisco Giants

Sunday, May 17, 2026

Sutter Health Park

West Sacramento, California

San Francisco Giants 10 (20-27)

Sacramento Athletics 1 (23-23)

Win: Trevor McDonald (2-0)

Loss: Luis Severino (2-5)

Save: Matt Gage (1)

Time: 2:45

Attendance: 12,541

By Stephen Ruderman

WEST SACRAMENTO–The wind was howling a gazillion miles an hour from left field to right field at Sutter Health Park Sunday, and it made for quite a weird game. The Giants looked like they were going to have to battle it out, but they exploded for an eight-run exorcism in the top of the eighth, and they won it by a final of 10-1.

Look, I am not lying about the wind. The wind was blowing so hard that the flags in the lawn beyond right field weren’t just whipping, they were blowing up. Everything was blowing. The flagpoles were blowing. The light towers were blowing. The TVs above us in the outdoor extended press box were blowing, and we had to worry that they would kill us.

As for me, I took my precautions. I used my laptop as a paperweight for my game notes and scorecard. I would have to hope that it would hold up for two or three hours, or however long this game went.

The one thing the wind didn’t do was make me forget that the Giants really needed to win Sunday. Harrison Bader drew a walk off left-hander Jeffrey Springs to start the game, and Casey Schmitt lined a base-hit to right with one out. The Giants had runners at first and second with one out for Rafael Devers. Even with the wind howling, Devers and Willy Adames couldn’t shorten their swings, and they both flew out for yet another wasted opportunity by the Giants.

As I tweeted my frustrations at Rafi and Willy for their selfish at-bats, a massive gust of wind literally blew my laptop off the counter and into my lap. I was lucky enough to only lose my Giants game notes, and keep everything else.

Adrian Houser got off to a rough start this season, but his last two outings prior to today were solid. Houser walked Nick Kurtz to start the bottom of the first, but he then retired the next six.

With two outs and nobody on in the top of the third, Luis Arraez hit a high fly ball deep to right field that Carlos Cortes couldn’t track in the wind. It ended up going out, and Arraez had his second home run of the weekend—and the series—to put the Giants on the board.

Willy Adames reached on a throwing error by third-baseman Zack Gelof with one out in the top of the fourth, and advanced to second on a balk when Springs didn’t step towards first base on a throw over. Matt Chapman then shot a two-out double into the gap in left-center to knock in Adames and make it 2-0.

Houser continued to sail along into the middle innings. However, for whatever reason, he just would not pitch to Kurtz. Houser ended up walking Kurtz all three times he faced him, and he only threw one strike in each at-bat—or shall I say, “plate appearance.” Houser had never faced Kurtz before, so it made no sense.

Houser’s third walk to Kurtz, which came with two outs in the bottom of the fifth, came back to bite him. It put runners at first and second with two outs for Carlos Cortes, who hit a popup to the left side of the infield. It should have gotten the Giants out of the inning, but Matt Chapman and Willy Adames never played at Candlestick Park, so they didn’t know how to field popups in this kind of howling wind. The ball fell in for a Candlestick double to put the A’s on the board. Thankfully, that would be the only run the A’s got in the inning.

Despite Cortes’ Candlestick double, the Giants played a great defensive game in combat with the wind. Matt Chapman had to battle the wind for a tough catch in foul territory to end the bottom of the sixth.

That would also end Houser’s day, and he turned in the solid outing the Giants needed from him. Houser went six innings, and gave up just the run and four hits. Houser also had what Susan Slusser described as “Stu Miller moments,” as the wind knocked him off balance on the mound a few times.

Now, the Giants bullpen needed to hold the lead, and Sam Hentges threw a 1-2-3 inning in the bottom of the seventh. Tony then had Keaton Winn warm up in the bullpen to pitch what was expected to be a tense bottom of the eighth.

However, the Giants’ offense—and perhaps, you can say the A’s gloves—had other plans in the top of the eighth. The Giants had the top of the order up against Luis Medina, and Bader reached on a ground ball to third that was bobbled by Gelof for the A’s third-baseman’s second error of the game. Arraez walked, and Schmitt lined a base-hit the other way to right to load the bases with nobody out.

It was now time for Rafi to shorten his swing, and he did, as he lined a base-hit to center. Bader scored, and after Lawrence Butler overran the ball, Arraez scored as well to make it 4-1. Willy also shortened his swing, and grounded a base-hit to left to reload the bases.

Mark Kotsay went with Jose Suarez, who got Daniel Susac to ground out to second with the drawn-in infield. A’s second-baseman Jeff McNeil was unable to get a throw to the plate, so he took the sure out at first, and Schmitt scored to make it 5-1.

Kotsay chose to put Matt Chapman on, and Drew Gilbert struck out swinging for the second out. It looked like the walk was going to pay off, but Jung Hoo Lee grounded a base-hit to right to keep the line moving and make it 6-1.

Bader then stepped up for the second time, and shot one down off the end of the bat down the right field line into the wind, which took it out for a grand slam. It was now 10-1, and it was just the second time this season the Giants scored ten runs. The other was April 17 in a 10-5 win over the Washington Nationals in D.C.

As for Keaton Winn, he was in the game anyway, which meant that the bottom of the eighth was his inning all the way. Winn threw a scoreless bottom of the eighth, and Joel Peguero threw a 1-2-3 bottom of the ninth.

Oh yeah, and before I forget, Carlos Cortes pitched the top of the ninth for the A’s.

Anyway, Houser got the win, and Springs took the loss.

As I mentioned earlier, the Giants’ defense was incredible today. Luis Arraez, Harrison Bader and Drew Gilbert all made great plays to take away hits. Gilbert had to wrestle with the wind to make a weird diving catch for the first out of the bottom of the ninth.

The Giants improve to 20-27, and they will head down to Phoenix for a three-game series with the Arizona Diamondbacks starting Monday night.

Robbie Ray (3-5 ERA 3.04) will go for the Giants in the series opener Sunday night. Zac Gallen will go for Arizona (1-5 ERA 5.02).

First pitch will be at 6:40 p.m.