Giants Sluggish Bats Result In Loss To Dodgers 2-1

Los Angeles Dodgers starter Yoshinobu Yamamoto was dealing against the San Francisco Giants allowing just one hit. The Giants Patrick Bailey got the only hit for San Francisco at Dodgers Stadium Thu Sep 18, 2025 (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

It was a good old-fashioned pitchers duel through the first six innings of game one of the four-game series between the San Francisco Giants (76-77) and their rival the Los Angeles Dodgers (86-67) at Dodgers Stadium.

San Francisco only had one hit through six innings in another lackluster game in fact, the Giants would finish the game with only one hit and suffered scoring runs losing 2-1. Giant pitcher Logan Webb went seven innings allowing four hits and one run with five strikeouts. He gave the Giants a chance to win but San Francisco’s lack of offense was the deciding factor.

Game recap: The game was a good old-fashioned pitching duel through the first six innings. It was Los Angeles that broke through for the first two runs of the game in the bottom of the sixth inning.

Mookie Betts grounded into a fielder’s choice to shortstop and Ben Rortvedt scored on a Patrick Bailey error for the first run of the game. The Dodgers would score a second run when Freddie Freeman singled Shohei Ohtani home for a 2-0 lead.

San Francisco would finally get up on the scoreboard in the seventh inning. It was a tough inning for Dodger pitcher Michael Kopech who walked the first two batters he faced. With one out Blake Treinen took over on the mound.

Treinen walked Heliot Ramos to load the bases. Treinen walked Rafael Devers for the Giants first run of the game. He struck out the next two Giant batter, Willy Adames and Matt Chapman.

With the score 2-1 in favor of the Dodgers, Los Angeles closed out this game. The Giants went three and out in the eighth inning and pretty much the same in the ninth with another three and out inning and that was the ball game.

Los Angeles had won game one 2-1 and now the Giants had fallen four games behind the Mets for the third wild card. San Francisco had only one hit in this game and the one run.

It was another great game for Shohei Ohtani with two huge hits. Yamamoto and the Dodger bullpen combined on the one-hitter. Ohhtani had a couple of doubles that bounced off the wall en-route to the win. He also scored one run. The Dodgers have now won eight of their last 11 matchups. They have had their struggles on the mound though with 23 walks in the first four games of this current home-stand.

Starting pitcher for San Francisco Logan Webb went seven innings allowing four hits, one run, one walk and five strikeouts. Patrick Bailey was the only Giant with a hit. With this loss the Giants are now three games behind the Mets with the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Cincinnati Reds ahead of San Francisco.

Game notes: The Giants lost to the Dodgers in game one of their four-game series. The Giants are three games back of third for a wild card spot and unfortunately couldn’t take advantage as the Mets beat the Padres Thursday night and lost a full game.

A Giants win would have keep them in stride with New York. There are only nine games left in the season so this was another missed opportunity for San Francisco.

Giants starter Logan Webb pitched will enough to win but just didn’t get the run support. Webb going seven innings allowing four hits and one run.

Friday night the Giants will face the Dodgers in game two of their series. In Thursday’s game Dodger pitcher Clayton Kershaw announced his retirement at the end of the season. He will take the mound Thursday in his final regular season home start.

The Giants will have Robbie Ray starting with a 11-7 win/loss record and a 3.50 ERA. Kershaw has a 12-2 win/loss record and a 3.53 ERA. First pitch is scheduled for 7:10 PM.

Giants Come Out Flat But Redeem Themselves in 11th Inning Beating Arizona 5-1

San Francisco Giants starter Justin Verlander walks from the bullpen to the dugout after taking warmups before the game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field in Phoenix on Wed Sep 17, 2025 (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

This game was a real sleeper until the 11th inning. After ten silent innings between the San Francisco Giants (76-76) and the Arizona Diamondbacks (77-76) in game three of their series, the Giants bats went crazy with four hits in the 11th inning scoring five runs and winning this game 5-1.

Up to that point they only had one hit through ten innings. It was an amazing win for the Giants winning a game that was so desperately needed. They got the job done in this one. Giant pitcher Justin Verlander was outstanding going seven innings.

Game recap: As this game got underway and the innings came and went, this game became a good old-fashioned pitchers duel. There was no score going into the bottom of the ninth inning. Neither team was hitting. Through nine innings, San Francisco had managed only one hit and Arizona had three.

Diamondbacks pitcher Brandon Pfaatt was having a solid game pitching through nine innings allowing only the one hit, giving up a walk with seven strikeouts. Justin Verlander went seven innings allowing 3 hits no runs, 2 walks and 3 strikeouts.

This game was headed into extra innings. The one thing that San Francisco did not want to see was another Arizona walk-off. It was up to Giant’s pitcher Ryan Walker to get out of the ninth inning giving the Giants a chance in the tenth.

With one out Walker allowed a Corbin Carroll triple and the Diamondbacks were looking for their second walk-off of the series. Gabriel Moreno was intentionally walked and then it all went downhill when Walker hit Blaze Alexander and the Diamondbacks had the bases loaded.

Ryan Walker got out of this huge mess and the Diamondbacks had squandered a monster opportunity. With renewed life, San Francisco would lean on Rafael Devers to get the inning going after going hitless in three at bats.

He had a productive out moving speedster Grant McCray from second to third base. Willy Adames struck out for the second out and Matt Chapman came to the plate; the Giants last hope in the inning. The Giants wasted a great opportunity when Chapman struck out giving Arizona another crack at sweeping the series.

The Diamondbacks were able to move a runner, Alek Thomas, to third base but they also came up empty unable to bring Thomas home and this game went into the eleventh inning.

The Giants really got something going in the 11th. Matt Chapman advanced from second to third on a passed ball by Gabriel Moreno. Bryce Eldridge walked and San Francisco had two runners on base with no outs.

Jerar Encarnacion singled Chapman home and the Giants had taken the lead 1-0 with no outs. Patrick Bailey singled loading the bases for San Francisco. The Giants broke this game wide open when Christian Koss doubled driving Jung Hoo Lee (he ran for Eldridge) and Encarnacion home taking a 3-0 lead still with no outs.

There would be a pitching change for the Diamondbacks. Grant McCray sacrificed and Patrick Bailey scored extending their lead to 4-0. After such a slow start San Francisco was coming on like gangbusters. They would add another run with two outs when Rafael Devers singled Christian Koss home and this game went into the bottom of the 11th inning with the Giants leading 5-0.

The Diamondbacks were able to score a single run in the bottom of the 11th inning but it was too little too late. Corbin Carroll sacrificed Geraldo Perdomo home from third base but that would be it for Arizona. The final was 5-1 in favor of San Francisco.

Game notes: Wednesday afternoon the Giants beat the Diamondbacks in game three of their series. The Giants are .500 yet again this season. After a nice turnaround in past weeks their offense has really struggled. The Giants Wild Card chances improved Wednesday after the Mets lost to the Padres and the Giants moved from four games out now to two games back for the last Wild Card spot.

They were crushed in game one of this series losing 8-1 followed by a disappointing loss in game two. After taking a 4-0 lead early in that game, they allowed Arizona to come back and finish the game off with a walk-off winning 6-5.

Wednesday the Giants avoided the series sweep. With both the Mets and Reds losing the Giants once again are looking at a shot to get back into third place in the NL Wild Card race. Giants starter Justin Verlander had himself an outing going seven innings, allowing three hits, two walks, and three strikeouts for the win.

After breaking their four-game losing streak Wednesday, the Giants face a tough four-game series that gets underway Thursday night with first pitch scheduled for 7:10 PM. They will take on the division-leading Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium.

Logan Webb will get the call with a 14-10 win/loss record and a 3.34 ERA. The Dodgers plan on starting Yoshinobu Yamamoto. He has a 11-8 win/loss record with a 2.66 ERA.

There is sure to be a lot of fireworks between these age-old rivals. San Francisco needs to have a great series. They are two games back behind the Mets and are tied with Cincinnati Reds and and half game back of the Arizona Diamondbacks. The Giants now need to concentrate on the game in front of them and nothing else.

Giants Playoffs Hopes Fading; Lose to the Diamondbacks In Walk-off 6-5

Arizona Diamondbacks Corbin Carroll scores on a Jordan Lawlor walk off single in the bottom of the ninth inning as San Francisco Giants catcher Adam Knizner looks on at Chase Field in Phoenix on Tue Sep 16, 2025 (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

After leading 4-0 in the first inning, the San Francisco Giants (75-76) lost to the Arizona Diamondbacks (77-75) in a walk-off 6-5. The Diamondbacks Jordan Lawlar hit an infield single in the ninth inning and Corbin Carroll crossed home plate from third base for the hard-fought win in a walk-off.

This was the Giants fourth loss in a row as the Giants drop two games back for the third spot in the NL Wild Card. The Giants playoff hopes maybe dimming as the regular season is rapidly coming to an end. Less than a week ago San Francisco had it all going on; they were playing some of their best ball of the season and like a thief in the night it all disappeared.

Game recap: The Giants had a great start in the game scoring four runs in the first inning. Taking a 4-0 lead in any game is terrific but needs some back-up from the mound and the cooperation of the defense.

Matt Chapman hit a sacrifice and Heliot Ramos score for the early 1-0 lead. Wilmer Flores singled in the first and Rafael Devers scored pushing their lead out to 2-0. They would extend that lead to 4-0 when Jerar Encarnacion doubled and Casey Schmitt and Wilmer Flores both scored.

The Diamondbacks very nearly tied up the game in the second inning scoring three runs. Blaze Alexander singled Gabriel Moreno home and Adrian Del Castillo hit a home run with Alexander on base and Arizona was within a run 3-4. San Francisco got an insurance run in the third inning taking a 5-3 lead. Wilmer Flores hit a solo home run to left center and the Giants were back in business.

When it looked so promising the Giants would not score for the rest of the game. They’re bats checked out after the third inning. The Diamondbacks scored two runs in the bottom of the fifth inning tying up this game.

Arizona took the tie into the ninth inning looking for a walk-off. It was quick one with Jordan Lawlar singling Corbin Carroll home and that was the ball game in the hoped for walk-off 6-5. The Diamondbacks had taken a 2-0 series lead and the Giants had lost their fourth game in a row.

Game notes: Time may be the San Francisco Giants worst enemy as the 2025 season enters the final weeks. The Giants were looking for a win over the Arizona Diamondbacks Tuesday night after losing the first game of the series Monday night 8-1.

San Francisco has lost four games in a row; every loss sets their playoffs hopes back. Such a disappointment because of the promising turnaround the Giants had seen the past few weeks. Right now it all seems to be going in the wrong direction for the Giants.

Giants starter Tristan Beck threw for three innings allowing five hits, three earned runs, and one strike out. Beck was proceeded by four relievers. The second reliever Trevor McDonald pitched two innings allowed three hits, two runs, a walk and one strikeout. All the damage was done by the D-Backs as the Giants lost by a run Tuesday night.

In Wednesday’s game three the Giants will try to avoid a sweep at the hands of the Diamondbacks. First pitch for that game is scheduled for 12:40 PM PT.

Justin Verlander will take the mound for San Francisco. He has a 3/10 win -loss record and a 3.94 ERA. Arizona will start Brandon Pfaadt. He has a 13-8 win/loss record and a 5.31 ERA. The Giants will try to put an end to their losing streak as well as avoiding a sweep.

That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast: Giants fall back in NL Wild Card after recent loses; Jays Bichette no timetable for return; plus more MLB news

San Francisco Giant call up Bryce Eldridge replaced the injured first baseman Dominic Smith on Mon Sep 15, 2025 and went 0-3 against the Arizona Diamondbacks in his big league debut at Chase Field in Phoenix (photo from Bay Area News Group)

That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast:

#1 What happened to the San Francisco Giants after winning some 15 out of 17 games and made to third in the NL Wild Card. They ran into a brick wall losing to the Los Angeles Dodgers Saturday and Sunday and lost in a landslide on Monday night to the Arizona Diamondbacks 8-1. The Giants are now two games back of the NL Wild Card.

#2 Not ready for prime time for Bryce Eldridge? Eldridge who started Monday’s game went 0-3 against the Arizona Diamondback and is now the Giants starting first baseman after being called up from Triple A Sacramento after Dominic Smith was injured stretching at first base to make a catch doing the splits on a throw by third baseman Matt Chapman. Smith ended up with a hamstring injury. Eldridge 20 years old was ranked number 29 in the ESPN rankings for prospects.

#3  The Toronto Blue Jays shortstop Bo Bichette is seeking a second medical opinion for his knee injury and could return as the designated hitter. Bichette has been out since Sep 7 and was seen by Dr. Dan Cooper. Jays manager John Schneider said there was no news and that Dr. Cooper was just checking the injury for the recovery process.

#4 Nick Kurtz has really set the tone at the Sacramento A’s since breaking in. He had that four home run game, he’s up to 32 home runs and is hitting .298, 32 home runs, 112 hits, and 80 RBIs. He’s a top candidate for the AL Rookie of the Year Award.

#5 The Chicago Cubs who are in first place for the NL Wild Card and are looking to shore up some pitching activated right hander Michael Soroka off the 15 day IL on Monday night against the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Cubs intend to use Soroka as a reliever. Soroka threw for two innings on Monday night in the Cubs 4-0 shutout win.

Amaury Pi-Gonzalez – Cuban-born Pi-González is one of the pioneers of Spanish-language baseball play-by-play in America. Began as Oakland A’s Spanish-language voice in 1977 ending in 2024 (interrupted by stops with the Giants, Mariners and Angels). Voice of the Golden State Warriors from 1992 through 1998. 2010 inducted in the Bay Area Radio Hall of fame.

While in the Bay Area, great food and great prices. 998cuba.com

Giants Watch Playoff Hopes Dwindle Losing to Diamondbacks 8-1

San Francisco Giants Casey Schmitt who hit a third inning home run against the Arizona Diamondbacks is greeted in the dugout by teammates at Chase Field in Phoenix on Mon Sep 15, 2025 (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

Every game going forward is critical for the San Francisco Giants (75-74). They have to break out of their current funk after dropping two games to the Los Angeles Dodgers over the weekend. Going into Monday night’s series with the Arizona Diamondbacks (75-75) the Giants have to at the very least win the series.

It did not go as planned and San Francisco got walloped by Arizona 8-1. You could see the pain and disappointment etched on the faces of the players in the dugout. This not how they wanted to start this series.

Casey Schmitt hit a solo home run to get San Francisco on the board but that would be it for the Giants. They only had two hits in the entire game. With Monday night’s loss, Tuesday’s game takes on even more importance.

Game notes: Arizona took an early lead in this game 1-0. A pickoff error from Giants pitcher Kai-Wei Teng allowed Arizona’s Geraldo Perdomo to score for the one-run lead. The Giants answered back in the third inning to tie up the game at one apiece.

Casey Schmitt homered to center for the tie. With the game tied this was anybody’s game and San Francisco had a nice opportunity to take the lead going into the fourth inning. It didn’t even come close to happening.

Unfortunately the rest of the game was all Arizona. The Diamondbacks did not score agains until the sixth inning but they broke this game wide open in the sixth scoring 6 runs taking a 7-1 lead.

Ildemaro Vargas singled driving two runners, Corbin Carroll and Gabriel Moreno home for a 3-1 lead and they never looked back. The Diamondbacks followed that up with a Jordan Lawlar double that drove Blaze Alexander home and extended their lead to 4-1.

A James McCann 2-run home run upped their score to 6-1. Arizona was hot and showed no signs of letting up. Perdomo tripled Jake McCarthy home for a 7-1 lead.

The Diamondbacks finished San Francisco off in the eighth inning. Again it was Geraldo Perdomo at the plate doing more damage doubling. Jake McCarthy scored on that double for the 8-1 lead that turned out to be the final.

It was an awful game for the Giants managing only two hits. With the 8-1 loss Monday, Tuesday’s game takes on even more importance putting pressure on the mound and at the plate. They have to get the bats working because they were positively stagnant at the plate.

The Giants started a three-game series with the Diamondbacks only to lose a critical game at Chase Field and drop back two games in the NL Wild Card race.

Game notes: Every game going forward is crucial because of this traffic jam in the National League race for the third wild card spot. The Mets and the Reds were both off Monday night. Right now the Reds are tied with the Giants for second place in the NL Wild Card.

The Giants lost Monday’s game against the Diamondbacks. They are coming off a horrendous loss to the Dodgers 10-2 Sunday. They have to start stringing hits together if they want to have any chance to string wins together.

They do have the time, although limited, to do just that but losing now is not an option. They have to get the bats working and of course there have been some rough starts on the mound for the team. For Giants starter Kei Wei Teng pitched four innings, two hits, didn’t allow a run, one walk and five strike outs. but relievers Joey Lucchesi and Keaton Winn gave up runs in the ninth inning as the Diamondbacks piled it on.

First pitch in Tuesday’s game two is scheduled for 6:40 PM. Right now the Giants are undecided as to who will take the mound. The Diamondbacks will start Eduardo Rodriguez. He has a 8-8 win/loss record and a 4.98 ERA.

San Francisco Giants podcast Marko Ukalovic: Giants open up series with Arizona in a bid to get back in NL Wild Card

San Francisco Giants starter Kei Wei Teng is the starting pitcher against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Mon Sep 15, 2025 at Chase Field in Phoenix (MLB.com photo)

San Francisco Giants podcast with Marko Ukalovic:

#1 The San Francisco Giants was in the top three for the NL Wild Card after losing both Saturday and Sunday to their rival Los Angeles Dodgers dropped down to 1.5 back for the last Wild Card spot.

#2 The Giants claim their not scoreboard watching but it’s hard to ignore what the New York Mets are doing. The Mets who had lost eight in a row snapped their losing skid and defeated the Texas Rangers on Sunday taking advantage of the Giants loss on Sunday moving up a half game in the NL Wild Card.

#3 The trouble for the Giants started on Saturday when starting pitcher Logan Webb was lit up for six runs and ten hits in a six run fifth inning that started the Giants slide.

#4 Sunday the Giants Robbie Ray left some pitches up and also missed some pitches going four innings allowing five runs and six hits walking four and striking out five in a 10-2 loss to the Dodgers.

#5 Giants will try and make up some ground as they continue to chase the Mets in the NL Wild Card. The Giants open up a series with the Arizona Diamondback at Chase Field. Starting pitcher for the Giants RHP Kei Wei Teng (2-4 ERA 7.54) for the Diamondbacks RHP Zach Gallen (11-14 ERA 4.84) 6:40pm PT on Monday night.

Join Marko for the Giants podcasts Mondays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Ray just doesn’t have it, as Dodgers smoke Giants 10-2 to take series

San Francisco Giants manager Bob Melvin (left) gets the ball from pitcher Robbie Ray (right) as he’s relieved in the top of he fifth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sun Sep 14, 2025 (AP News photo)

Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025

Oracle Park

San Francisco, California

Los Angeles Dodgers 10 (84-65)

San Francisco Giants 2 (75-74)

Win: Tyler Glasnow (3-3)

Loss: Robbie Ray (11-7)

Time: 3:09

Attendance: 40,112

By Stephen Ruderman

SAN FRANCISCO–The Los Angeles Dodgers got to Robbie Ray, and smoked the San Francisco Giants 10-2 to take this pivotal series at Oracle Park

This series began in epic fashion when Patrick Bailey sent everybody home happy with a walk-off grand salami in the bottom of the tenth inning in the series opener Friday night. The Giants then jumped out to an early 4-1 lead Saturday night, but Logan Webb was unable to hold it. The Dodgers put up a big fat six-spot to open up a 9-4 lead Saturday, and won 13-7 Sunday in what was just a wild game.

The Giants were trying to take the rubber match on a beautiful fall day for baseball at Oracle Park after their rough loss Saturday night. Robbie Ray looked to be the stopper today, and he started the day nicely with a one, two, three top of the first inning. However, he would have a rough go of things against the Dodgers’ star-studded lineup afterwards.

The Dodgers opened the scoring on a sacrifice fly by Enrique Hernandez in the top of the second. The Dodgers only scored one run in that inning, but Ray really had to work, and that would prove costly as his day went along.

The Giants responded against Dodgers’ starter Tyler Glasnow in the bottom of the second, and tied the game on a sacrifice fly by Casey Schmitt. However, the Dodgers manufactured another run to retake the lead in the top of the third.

Ray pitched a scoreless top of the fourth, but things fell apart for him in the top of the fifth. Mookie Betts walked to lead off the inning, and Teoscar Hernandez singled him over to second, Freddie Freeman then hooked a double down the right field line to make it 3-1, and Ray was done.

Bob Melvin summoned his young fireballer, Joel Peguero, but things didn’t get much better. Peguero walked Tommy Edman, and then former Giant Michael Conforto hit a pinch-hit single to right-center that scored a pair.

The Dodgers led 5-1, and they still weren’t done. Well, not with scoring at least. Peguero disengaged from the rubber three times with Miguel Rojas at the plate, and since 2023, disengaging three times from the rubber with the same batter at the plate is a balk. That meant Edman scored, and the Dodgers now led 6-1. Melvin came out to raise a stink, but to no avail.

During that fifth inning, the Dodgers fans who made the trek up north made their presence felt. The bleachers only looked less like the visitor’s section at a college football game than usual today, but the amount of blue throughout the ballpark truly set the tone.

Tyler Glasnow settled down in the middle innings to retire 11-straight batters. While the Giants did not go down quietly in the later innings, they still only scored two runs.

You could say the most embarrassing part of the game came in the bottom of the ninth, after the Dodgers had already opened their lead to 10-2. Drew Gilbert hit a one-out double, but on appeal, he was called out for missing first base. The Giants challenged the call, obviously, but it was upheld.

The Dodgers indeed won 10-2.

Unfortunately, the Mets ended their eight-game losing streak on a walk-off home run by Pete Alonso to beat the Texas Rangers 5-2. That means the Giants fall to a game and a half back of the Mets for the third wild card in the National League with 13 games to go.

Well, here we are. There are just two weeks left to go in the Regular Season, and the Giants will head to Arizona to begin their final road trip of the season. They will have three against the Diamondbacks in Phoenix starting Monday night, and then they will go over to Los Angeles for four against these very Dodgers starting Thursday night.

Kai-Wei Teng (2-4, 7.54 ERA) will take the ball for the Giants in the series opener at Chase Field Sunday night. Zac Gallen (11-14, 4.84 ERA) will counter for Arizona.

Final Thoughts:

Series losses happen, especially against good teams like the Dodgers. The Giants wasted some opportunities to gain sole possession of the third wild card in the National League, as they went 3-4 during the Mets’ eight-game losing streak.

The good news is that the Mets remain in complete freefall, and have a much harder schedule than the Giants. The Giants have their four-gamer in Los Angeles next weekend, but the Mets have to host the Padres for three this week, and then they have to go to Wrigley Field to play the Cubs next week.

The Giants have 13 games left to play, and the Mets have 12. Assuming the Mets, who hold the tiebreaker against the Giants, go 6-6 in their final 12 games, which could be a stretch for them given how they’ve been playing, the Giants would have to go 9-4. It’s very doable, but we’ll just have to watch and see what crazy stuff happens as the final two weeks of the Regular Season play out.

National League Wild Card Standings:

  1. Cubs 85-64 +8.5

*2. Padres 82-68 +5.0

  1. Mets 77-73 —

GIANTS 75-74 1.5

Diamondbacks 75-75 2.0

Reds 74-75 2.5

Cardinals 73-77 5.0

San Francisco Giants podcast Stephen Ruderman: Giants just a half game out of the NL Wild Card face Dodger in series finale

San Francisco Giants pitcher Logan Webb got lit up for six runs on ten hits by the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sat Sep 13, 2025 at Oracle Park in San Francisco (AP News photo)

SF Giants podcast Stephen Ruderman:

#1 Los Angeles Dodgers Shohei Ohtani hit his 49th home run, and Teoscar Hernandez hit a two run double as the Dodgers scored six runs in the top of the fifth inning for a 13-7 win on Saturday night.

#2 The Giants Logan Webb got lit up Webb had been going well but every so often no matter how many starts you make you can get lit up.

#3 Scary moment was when the Dodgers Max Muncy was hit in the right flap by a pitch from the Giants pitcher Matt Gage in the top of the sixth. Muncy stayed in the ball game.

#4 The Dodgers made a come back after being down 4-1 and in the sixth it was for keeps. The Giants with the loss slip to a half game out behind the New York Mets, San Diego Padres, and the Chicago Cubs in the NL Wild Card.

#5 Take a look at the starting pitchers for Sunday’s contest for the Dodgers RHP Tyler Glasnow (2-3 ERA 3.21) for the Giants LHP Robbie Ray (11-6, ERA 3.32) first pitch slated at 1:05pm PT

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

Dodgers knock out Webb early in monstrous 13-7 win

San Francisco Giants pitcher Logan Webb, center, hands the ball over to manager Bob Melvin, left, as he exits during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Saturday, Sept. 13, 2025, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vasquez)

By Lincoln Juarez

SAN FRANCISCO – The Los Angeles Dodger offense powered LA past the San Francisco Giants 13-7 to play spoiler on a night the Giants could’ve earned a playoff spot. Webb nor Kershaw had their stuff Saturday night as both offenses ruptured.

Saturday evening at Oracle Park in front of another sell-out crowd the Giants took the field, this time with a chance to pass the New York Mets in the NL Wild Card Standings and take sole possession of the final spot. 

Logan Webb (14-9, 3.12) was set to face Clayton Kershaw (10-2, 3.27) in what was supposed to be another great pitching matchup, instead we saw the opposite. 

In the top of the first, Shohei Ohtani led off the game with a groundball single just deep enough into the 5-6 hole for Adames to not even try making a throw after fielding it. Mookie Betts was next and he hit a soft ground ball back to Webb, whose only play was to first base, advancing Ohtani to scoring position. 

The Dodgers got on the board the next at-bat when Freddie Freeman singled down the left field line. Ohtani came around to score as Freddie Freeman tested his luck trying to turn his base-hit into a double. Heliot Ramos nailed Freeman at second for the second out of the inning, but only after the Dodgers took a 1-0 lead. Webb got Max Muncy to ground out to Casey Schmitt at second to end the top of the first. 

The theme of this Giants run they’ve gone on has been responding in the next half inning after the opposing team scores. Saturday night they put up four runs in the home first after trailing 1-0, two of which came before Clayton Kershaw could record an out. Adames, Chapman, Encarnacion, and Matos picked up rbi’s and all nine Giants in the order got an at-bat in the bottom of the first. 

The Dodgers opened up the top of the second with three straight singles loading the bases for Miguel Rojas. Tensions rose in the ballpark as Rojas stepped in. On the sixth pitch of the at-bat Webb got Rojas to pop one up to Casey Schmitt for the first out. The bases remained loaded for Dodger catcher Ben Rortvedt who grounded into an inning-ending 3-6-1 double play. Logan Webb pumped his fist after finishing the play at first base and keeping the momentum on their side. 

After that there wasn’t much that went the Giants’ way. The Dodgers scored two runs off of Webb on Ohtani’s 49th home run of the season and a Teoscar Hernandez rbi-double which made it 4-3 Giants. 

San Francisco bumped Clayton Kershaw out of the game after three innings. He threw 67 pitches while allowing four earned runs on five hits. Edgardo Henriquez relieved Kershaw of his duties and struck out the Giants in order in the fourth. 

Mookie Betts led off the fifth inning with a walk and Freddie Freeman followed with a single. Webb walked Max Muncy who was the last hitter he faced. 

Webb totaled 4ip, 10h, 6er, 2bb, and 5k and dropped his record to 14-10. 

Jose Butto entered with the bases loaded and nobody out. Teoscar Hernandez doubled on the fourth pitch Butto threw, scoring two to give the Dodgers a 5-4 lead. The next batter, Michael Conforto hit a sac-fly to right field, scoring Max Muncy and the Dodgers had a 6-4 lead. Later in the inning Ben Rortvedt doubled home two more and Mookie Betts singled him home to finish off a six-run fifth inning for LA. 

San Francisco scored three in the home half of the fifth but it wouldn’t be enough as the Dodgers went right back into attack mode getting those three runs back in the top of the sixth. 

Shohei Ohtani came around to score in the ninth making it 13-7 Dodgers. It was his 134th run scored of the season, matching the Dodger record he set just last season. 

13-7 was the final score Saturday night in a game where the Giants could’ve made their way into the final NL Wild Card spot. Should the Mets lose again on Sunday, the Giants could have another chance to pass them in the Wild Card standings. 

RHP Tyler Glasnow (2-3, 3.21) will face LHP Robbie Ray (11-6, 3.32) in the rubber match of this three game series at Oracle Park Sunday afternoon. 

First pitch at 1:05pm.

Patrick Bailey’s grand slam beats LA 5-1; Giants are half a game out of the playoffs

San Francisco Giants’ Patrick Bailey, right, hits a game-winning grand slam during the 10th inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Friday, Sept. 12, 2025, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vasquez)

By Lincoln Juarez

SAN FRANCISCO – Patrick Bailey’s walk-off grand slam electrified the Oracle Park crowd Friday night as the Giants topped the Dodgers in 10 innings, 5-1 behind Justin Verlander’s masterful seven inning performance. 

Just prior to the start of game one between the Dodgers and Giants, the New York Mets lost their seventh game in a row, putting the Giants just a single game out of the final National League Wild Card spot and adding to the intensity inside Oracle Park Friday night. 

40,509 packed the ballpark on 3rd and King to witness the first great pitchers-duel of the weekend between RHP Yoshinobu Yamamoto (11-8, 2.72) and RHP Justin Verlander (3–10, 4.09). 

Verlander, who reached 20 years of Major League service time Friday night, shut the Dodger offense down, surrendering only one run on four hits while striking out four. The lone run came on a Michael Conforto home run in the seventh inning that tied the game at one. A 92mph fastball left middle-middle was the only mistake Verlander made all night. 

The Giants scored early, as they’ve done in this winning stretch, getting to Yamamoto in the first. Rafael Devers walked with one out and eventually scored from first base on a ball hit to the left-center field gap by Willy Adames. Center fielder Andy Pages had trouble fielding the ball allowing Devers to score and put the Giants in the lead 1-0. That was the only hit Yamamoto allowed in his seven strong. He held the Giants to a hit and a run while striking out 10. 

The pitching got some help keeping the score tight throughout the game. In the top of the fourth inning, with the Dodgers trailing by a run and two runners in scoring position, Matt Chapman dove right into the 5-6 hole to keep a groundball from getting to the outfield, returned to his feet and fired a lazor to first base. While stretching for the ball in order to get the inning-ending out, 1B Dom Smith strained his hamstring and was removed from the game. 

“We’ll see how he is tomorrow. He’s gonna get some imaging tomorrow” is what Bob Melvin said about Dom Smith’s high hamstring strain which shouldn’t be as bad as it sounds. 

With the game tied in the bottom of the ninth and one out, the Giants finally had a great opportunity to score with pinch-runner Grant McCray tagging up from third base on a very shallow fly ball hit by Wilmer Flores. Dodger center fielder Andy Pages threw a perfect strike to home plate to catch McCray and end the inning on the double play. 

In the top of the 10th, McCray was ready for his revenge and got an opportunity on a short pop-up off the bat of Mookie Betts. McCray caught it and threw a 101.7mph seed to catch the ghost-runner in the 10th inning and just like that the Giants had every ounce of the momentum gained. McCray’s throw was the hardest thrown outfield assist by a Giant in the statcast era. While praising McCray for coming off the bench and being ready to make a play as he did, Bob Melvin said, “There’s plenty of things you could say about the plays of the game, I don’t know that there was a bigger play in the game than that.”

The Giants took their energy to the bottom of the tenth where the bases got loaded with two walks and the already-existing runner on base to start, setting the table for Patrick Bailey, who had already provided fans a walk-off moment for the ages on his walk-off inside-the-park home run against the Phillies on July 8. Bailey sat on a high fastball in a 1-0 count and barrelled it to left field. The roar of the crowd was immediate because everyone knew Patrick Bailey had just walked off the Dodgers in grand fashion. Grant McCray, still juiced up from the throw he made in the top half of the inning, joined who else but Drew Gilbert as two of the first to storm the field toward home plate. The electrified fans cheered Bailey all the way around the bases until he officially scored, putting an end to the game and putting the Giants a half game back of the Mets for the last NL Wild Card spot. 

A game for the ages was just the start of an incredible weekend of baseball on the shores of McCovey Cove. Another great pitching matchup takes place Saturday night with LHP Clayton Kershaw (10-2, 3.27) vs. RHP Logan Webb (14-9, 3.12). 

First pitch 6:05pm at Oracle Park.