Game Wrap 5/12/2026: Giants 6 Dodgers 2

 The Giants got a strong start from Adrian Houser and run support from the bottom of the lineup carrying them to their second win in a row over the Dodgers at UNIQLO Field at Dodger Stadium.  What the.....?  Key Lines:

Jung Hoo Lee RF- 2 for 5, 2B, 2 RBI.  Lee's 2-out, 2-run double in the 7'th drove in two insurance runs to give the Giants a 6-2 lead.  He has a 5-game hit streak, 10 for 25, after a 2 for 22 start to the month.

Willy Adames SS- 2 for 4, R.  BA= .222.  Adames is 7 for 15 over his last 3 games.

Harrison Bader CF- 1 for 2, HR(2), R, RBI.  BA= .136.  Bader's last HR came on March 31 in San Diego.  Bader and Eric Haase went B2B with solo HR's in the 5'th inning.  

Eric Haase C- 2 for 4, 2 HR(2), 2 R, 2 RBI.  BA= .333.  Once upon a time Haase was one of hte better power-hitting catchers in MLB.  This was a great game for that power to show up again.

Drew Gilbert PH/CF- 1 for 2, R, RBI.  BA= .239.  Gilbert came in as a PH for Bader in the 7'th with runners on first and third, apparently for the express purpose of putting down a squeeze bunt which worked.  Gilbert then came around to score on Lee's double.

Adrian Houser RHP- 5.2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 3 BB, 4 K's.  ERA= 5.79.  Houser fell one out short of a Quality Start.  His composite line over his last 2 starts is 11.2 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 4 BB, 7 K's.  

Caleb Kilian RHP- 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K, 2/0 GO/AO, Save(2).  ERA= 1.40.  Kilian got credit for a Save coming in with a 4-run lead because he entered the game with the bases-loaded and two out in the 8'th inning.  Andy Pages lined out to end that inning then Kilian breezed through the 9'th. 

Robbie Ray LHP tries to clinch a series win tonight against Shohei Ohtani RHP.  

Down on the Farm: 5/11/2026

Full season leagues were idle.

ACL:  Dodgers beat the Giants 9-4.

Josuar Gonzalez 2B- 1 for 3,  2 BB.  BA= .286.

Luis Hernandez SS- 1 for 3, BB, HBP.  BA= .296.

Yulian Barreto 3B- 2 for 5.  BA= .320.

Jean Carlos Sio LF- 2 for 5, HR(1).  BA= .211.

Santiago Camacho C- 1 for 4, 2B, BB.  BA= .250.

Carlos De La Rosa LHP- 4 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 7 K's.  ERA= 5.40.

Jose T Perez RHP- 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K's.  ERA= 3.00.

I am bullish on Carlos De La Rosa, another prospect who came over from the Yankees in the Camilo Doval trade.

Game Wrap 5/11/2026: Giants 9 Dodgers 3

What was that team that beat the Dodgers last night?  Never heard of them....wait, what?  The Giants kept the pressure on the Dodgers behind another scintillating pitching performance by Trevor McDonald and pulled away in the later innings for an easy win.  Key Lines:

Luis Arraez 2B- 2 for 6, R.  BA= .311.  This was Arraez' 14'th multi-hit game of the season.  He's been held hitless in 9 games.  He's been remarkably steady batting .323 in April and .333 so far in May.  

Casey Schmitt 1B- 2 for 3, BB, HBP, SB(3), 3 R.  BA= .294.  Schmitt has also been remarkably steady batting .269 over his last 7 games, .309 over his last 15 and .307 over his last 30.

Rafael Devers DH- 2 for 3, HR(5), 2 BB, 3 R, 2 RBI.  BA= .240.  Devers got the Giants their first run with a solo HR in the second inning.  He is batting .364 in May after batting just .196 in April.  

Heliot Ramos LF- 2 for 4, 2B, BB, R, 2 RBI.  BA= .278.  Speaking of steady, Ramos is batting .310 over his last 7 games, .295 over his last 15 and .304 over his last 30.  

Willy Adames SS- 2 for 5, 3 RBI.  BA= .215.  Adames came up with 2 outs and the bases loaded in the 7'th inning.  I thought to myself, this would be a great time for him to step up and hit a grand slam home run.  Adames did something smarter.  He stayed within himself, went the other way and lined a 2-run single to RF.  He came up with the bases loaded again in the 9'th and singled to left driving in another run.

Trevor McDonald RHP- 5.1 IP, 9 H, 3 R, 2 BB, 4 K's, 9/0 GO/AO.  ERA= 2.92.  This line falls short of a Quality Start but McDonald got out of a no-out, bases-loaded, a run in jam in the 4'th with a GIDP and K.  Tony Vitello let him go out for the 6'th despite a soaring pitch count.  He allowed a lead off HR to the much-hated Max Muncy, got a ground out but gave up a single to Teoscar Hernandez.  With the pitch count at 101, Vitello brought in Matt Gage who got out of the inning and pitched another scoreless frame in the 7'th. 

Adrian Houser RHP tries to keep the winning going this evening facing Yoshinobu Yamamoto RHP.  

Down on the Farm: 5/10/2026

AAA:  Sacramento River Cats outscored the Reno Aces 9-7.

Harrison Bader CF- 1 for 1, HR(2), 2 BB, HBP, SB(1).  BA= .222.

Daniel Susac C- 2 for 3, HBP.  BA= .636.

Victor Bericoto 1B/RF- 3 for 5.  BA= .308.

Will Brennan DH- 2 for 4, SF.  BA= .368.

Erik Miller LHP- 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K.  ERA= 0.00.

Braxton Roxby RHP- 1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K's.  ERA= 8.74.

Trent Harris RHP- 1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K.  ERA= 6.75.

Bader and Susac must be nearing the end of their rehab assignments.  Susac is creating impossible expectations for himself.

AA:  Richmond Flying Squirrels shut out the Akron Rubber Ducks 6-0.

Scott Bandura LF- 1 for 2, 2 BB, SB(1).  BA= .319.

Bo Davidson CF- 2 for 4.  BA= .286.

Parks Harber DH- 1 for 4, 2B, BB.  BA= .328.

Aeverson Arteaga SS- 2 for 4, 2B, SB(2).  BA= .318.

Adrian Sugastey C- 2 for 3, HR(2).  BA= .283.

Jonah Cox RF/CF- 1 for 4, 3B.  BA= .421.

Joe Whitman LHP- 5 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 8 K's.  ERA= 4.05.

Jack Choate LHP- 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 1 K.  ERA= 1.96.

Dale Stanovich LHP- 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K.  ERA= 0.00.

Has Joe Whitman finally unlocked something?  His pitching line over his last two starts is 11 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 15 K's.   

A+:  Eugene Emeralds buried the Vancouver Canadians 13-8.

Dakota Jordan DH- 3 for 4, SF.  BA= .286.

Gavin Kilen SS- 4 for 5, HR(4).  BA= .314.

Zander Darby 1B- 2 for 4, HR(5), BB.  BA= .300.

Carlos Gutierrez LF- 1 for 3, 2 BB.  BA= .209.

Zane Zielinski 2B- 3 for 5, 2B.  BA= .315.

Jacob Bresnahan LHP- 3.2 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 5 BB, 6 K's.  ERA= 3.09.

Ryan Vanderhei RHP- 2.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K's.  ERA= 2.00.

Gavin Kilen has a 6-game hit streak in which he is 13 for 23 with 2 2B, 2 HR.  

A:  Fresno Grizzlies mauled the San Jose Giants 8-2.

Isaiah Barkett 3B- 1 for 2, 2 BB.  BA= .341.

Jose Astudillo LF- 1 for 2, BB, 3 SB(3).  BA= .360.  

Cody Delvecchio RHP- 4 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 7 K's.  ERA= 4.09.

Sam Bower RHP- 1.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K's.  ERA= 4.58.

ACL:  Giants were idle.

Game Wrap 5/10/2026: Giants 7 Pirates 6(12 Innings).

It as a struggle but the Giants kept pace with the Pirates into extra-innings and finally pulled out a win behind the clutch-pitching of none other than Ryan Borucki.  Key Lines:

Jung Hoo Lee RF- 2 for 6, R.  BA= .280.  Lee is batting just .200 over his last 7 games and .189 on the month but went 5 for 15 in this series.

Luis Arraez 2B- 1 for 4, 2 BB, R, RBI.  BA= .310.  Arraez was charge with an error on a ball that hopped over his glove.  He made some other good defensive plays.  The 2 walks is notable because Arraez does not walk often.

Rafael Devers DH- 2 for 4, 2 2B, BB, R.  BA= .232. Devers snapped an 8 game hit streak yesterday but started a new one today.

Heliot Ramos LF- 2 for 6, 2B, HR(4), 3 R, 2 RBI.  BA= .272.  Ramos went 6 for 13 for the series.  He has been one of the more consistent Giants hitters so far:  .276 over his last 7 games, .283 over his last 15 and .295 over his last 30.

Willy Adames SS- 3 for 6, 2B, 2 RBI.  BA= .209. Adames went hitless yesterday but had 2 hits Friday for 5 for 16 on the series.

Matt Chapman 3B- 2 for 5, 2 2B, RBI.  BA= .235.  Chapman broke a 7-game hitless streak yesterday and added the two doubles today.

Tyler Mahle RHP- 5.2 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 2 BB, 8 K's.  ERA= 5.18.  Not quite a Quality Start but Mahle kept his team in the game.  

Joel Peguero RHP- 1.1 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 0 K, 3/0 GO/AO.  ERA= 2.70.  Peguero looks to me like he's added some muscle mass from last season.  He pitched a scoreless 9'th inning to send it to extra-innings but gave up a walk and a double in the 10'th to put the Giants behind by 2-runs.  He had only one effective pitch but that was a fastball that topped out at 102 MPH and enabled him to challenge hitters with pitches in the middle of the strike zone.  That approach is fine in regulation innings but results in too much contact to keep those designated runners from scoring.  I like Closers who throw hundos, though.  Thinking back to how Bruce Bochy brought order out of chaos in the bullpen, he went with his highest velocity pitcher, Brian Wilson, and stuck with him.  So I ask, WWBD, What Would Boch Do with the current bullpen mess?

Ryan Borucki LHP- 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 1 K, 2/0 GO/AO.  ERA= 5.14.  I guess Tony Vitello just ran out of pitchers and had no choice but to put Borucki out there in extra innings, desigated runners and all.  A funny thing happened.  There were a couple of lucky line outs but Borucki hung tough and held the line until the Giants could score a walk-off run.  He made some darn good pitches in the process.

The Win gives the Giants a much-needed series win. They head out to start a 4-game series in Los Angeles with Trevor McDonald RHP facing Roki Sasaki RHP in Game 1 tomorrow evening.

Down on the Farm: 5/9/2026

AAA:  Reno Aces beat the Sacramento River Cats 4-2.

Buddy Kennedy 3B- 2 for 4, HR(4).  BA= .322.

Blade Tidwell RHP- 3.2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 5 K's, 4/0 GO/AO.  ERA= 7.04.

Tristan Beck RHP- 2.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K's.  ERA= 5.40.

Marques Johnson RHP- 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K's.  ERA= 3.68.

AA:  Akron Rubber Ducks buried the Richmond Flying Squirrels 12-5.

Scott Bandura LF- 2 for 5.  BA= .316.

Parks Harber 3B- 2 for 5, HR(1).  BA= .333.

Charlie Szykowny DH- 2 for 4.  BA= .290.

Diego Velasquez 2B- 2 for 4.  BA= .267.

A+:  Eugene Emeralds got the best of the Vancouver Canadians 7-5(7 innings, Game 1 of doubleheader).

Trevor  Cohen RF- 2 for 3, BB, SB(13).  BA= .234.

Gavin Kilen SS- 3 for 4, 2 2B, HR(3).  BA= .289.

Ty Hanchey C- 2 for 3, 2B.  BA= .289.

Carlos Gutierrez LF- 0 for 0, 3 BB, 2 SB(8).  BA= .205.

Cole Hillier RHP- 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 4 K's.  ERA= 2.25.

Strange season so far for Gavin Kilen.  He has these huge games but a lot of 0-fers in between.

A+:  Eugene Emeralds defeated the Vancouver Canadians 5-1(7 innings, Game 2 of doubleheader).

Trevor Cohen RF- 2 for 3, 2B.  BA= .245.

Gavin Kilen SS- 1 for 2, BB.  BA= .293.

Lisbel Diaz LF- 2 for 3.  BA= .224.

Walker Martin 3B- 1 for 3, HR(4).  BA= .233.

Esmerlin Vinicio LHP- 3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 2 K's.  ERA= 0.00.

Cade Vernon RHP- 3 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 1 K.  ERA= 3.74.

Liam Simon RHP- 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K's.  ERA= 7.00.

A: Fresno Grizzlies outscored the San Jose Giants 8-7.

Isaiah Barkett 2B- 2 for 5, BB.  BA= .337.

Jeremiah Jenkins 1B- 2 for 4, 2B, 3B, BB.  BA= .293.

Dario Reynoso 3B- 2 for 4, 2 2B, BB.  BA= .299.

Lorenzo Meola SS- 3 for 5, SB(5).  BA= .221.

ACL:  Rockies topped the Giants 6-1(7 ininngs).  

Oliver Tejada RF- 2 for 3.  BA= .375.

Luke Mensik RHP- 4 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 3 BB, 5 K's, 5/0 GO/AO.  ERA= 9.00.

Game Wrap 5/9/2026: Pirates 13 Giants 3

A bullpen collapse and a continued failure to hit turned a game that was scoreless after 4 innings into an embarrassing route to spoil Bryce Eldridge's first MLB home run.  Key Lines:

Bryce Eldridge CH/1B- 1 for 4, HR(1), R, RBI.  BA= .154.  Eldridge's first MLB home run came on an inside fastball which is often Kryptonite for tall hitters.  He pulled his arms in close, spun on it and sent it over the RF wall.  I don't think it was technically a splash hit because it looked like it bounced into the water but it was an impressive shot and an encouraging sign for his future.  

Landen Roupp RHP- 4 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 3 BB, 8 K's.  ERA= 3.09.  Roupp pitched scoreless ball for 4 innings but ran up his pitch count in the process.  Joey Bart led off the 5'th with an infield hit after winning a pitch challenge and that was it for Roupp after 94 pitches.  What ensued was nothing short of a humiliation for the entire organization.  With a couple of lefthanded batters coming up, Tony Vitello went with Ryan Borucki LHP who gave up a ground ball single to Oneil Cruz and a sac fly to Brandon Lowe.  Switch-hitter, Bryan Reynolds then singled through the left side to drive in Cruz.  

Ryan Walker RHP got out of the inning on a CS by Eric Haase C, but Walker came back out for the 6'th inning.  After getting the leadoff batter on a K, he went Walk, Wild Pitch, RBI single, Single(Joey Bart again).  Walker was lifted for Matt Gage LHP who gave up a single to.....Oneil Cruz, but then got out of the inning on a K and GO.  JT Brubaker came in to start the 7'th inning which ended with the Pirates holding a 10-1 lead.  

Look, I get Tony Vitello has to work with the roster he is given and he can't run his top 3 relievers out there in the 5'th inning so this is on Buster.  Why is Borucki still on the team?  And Ryan Walker needs to have the same questions asked about him.  

Christian Koss RHP- 1 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 0 BB, 0 K.  ERA= 13.50.  Poor Christian Koss was called upon to throw slow-pitch softballs up there in the 9'th amid all but catcalls from Kruk and Kuip.  He was helped out by a GIDP to keep the score from ballooning to something in the high teens.  To top all that off, Koss replaced Rafael Devers in the line up with Eldridge moving from DH to 1B(I didn't know that was allowed), so Koss batted in the bottom of the 9'th and got beaned on the helmet flap.  Was that a purpose pitch?  Kruk and Kuip seemed to think it might have been.  Kuip's immediate reaction was "well, that makes tomorrow's game interesting."  

Tyler Mahle RHP tries to salvage a series win this afternoon facing Bubba Chandler RHP, a top prospect who has struggled in his early MLB career and we know what that means for the Giants. His FB averages 98.7 MPH per Fangraphs.