San Francisco – The Giants held off a late Dodgers rally to win a thriller, kicking off the series between the National League West’s fiercest rivals in dramatic fashion. A sold-out crowd at Oracle Park was treated to a slugfest, as San Francisco stayed just ahead to secure an 8-7 victory over Los Angeles.
The Giants have now played 38 one-run games this season, the second-most in MLB behind the Pittsburgh Pirates, who have played 39. Tonight marked San Francisco’s first win against the Dodgers when allowing seven or more runs since August 25, 2020, when they gave up eight. For Los Angeles, the loss extends their skid to seven straight games, their longest losing streak since an 11-game slide from September 2–11, 2017.
Willy Adames put the Giants on the board with a solo home run in the second inning. In the fourth, Dodgers ace Dustin May issued back-to-back walks to Rafael Devers and Matt Chapman before Jung Hoo Lee ripped a triple, driving in both runners to give San Francisco a 3-2 lead. Casey Schmitt then grounded into a double play. With Lee on third, he broke for home but was called out at the plate. Manager Bob Melvin challenged the call, but after review, it stood, Lee was out.
By the fifth inning, San Francisco broke the game open with a five-run frame. Dominic Smith led off with a solo shot to left field, setting the tone. Patrick Bailey followed with a single, and Mike Yastrzemski drew a walk. Matt Chapman grounded into a force out but still drove in Bailey, which marked the end of Dustin May’s outing. May lasted 4.2 innings, giving up 5 hits, 7 runs, and 4 walks while striking out 4. He allowed two home runs and finished with a 4.96 ERA.
Anthony Banda came in as relief, but the Giants kept rolling. Adames tripled, scoring in Yastrzemski to make it 8-2. Schmitt walked, putting two on with two outs. After a five-run frame, Devers popped out to end the rally.
After San Francisco jumped out to an 8-2 lead, LA rallied in the sixth. Mookie Betts was hit in the upper thigh and dropped to the ground, but he eventually got up and limped to first base. Will Smith followed with a single. Then, a costly error in the outfield shifted the momentum. Jung Hoo Lee misplayed a fly ball that popped out of his glove as he collided with the wall, allowing Teoscar Hernández to double and drive in both Betts and Smith, cutting the Giants’ lead to 8-4.
The Dodgers weren’t done. Michael Conforto, a former Giant (2023), launched a two-run homer to make it a two-run game at 8-6. That ended Logan Webb’s night. Webb went 5.1 innings, allowing 6 hits, 6 runs, and 1 walk while striking out 6. He gave up two home runs and finished with a 2.96 ERA.
Randy Rodríguez came on in relief in the sixth and got Andy Pages to fly out to right. Ha-Seong Kim followed with a single to shortstop, where Adames bobbled the play, allowing Kim to reach safely. Tommy Edman popped out to end the rally, with San Francisco still clinging to an 8-6 lead.
By the seventh, the Giants’ blunders continued with costly errors. Mookie Betts doubled and advanced to third on a fielding miscue by Lee, who failed to secure the catch as the ball popped in and out of his glove when he collided with the wall. Smith followed with a double, driving in Betts and trimming San Francisco’s lead to 8-7.
In the top of the ninth, Betts singled and stole second. Closer Camilo Doval then issued a walk to Freddie Freeman, putting two on with one out. But Doval held his ground, forcing Smith to ground out and securing the win for the Giants.
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