Giants win fifth consecutive one-run game, sweep flailing Braves

Joseph Dycus, The Mercury News on Jun 8, 2025

Published in Baseball

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SAN FRANCISCO – The Giants do not have the highest payroll or the most high-level talent on the roster, but no team in the league can claim to be more exciting than San Francisco right now.

Every game, as of late, has come down to the last at-bat, and Sunday was no exception. The Giants entered the series finale against the Atlanta Braves having played six consecutive one-run games, including walk-off wins the last two days.

San Francisco continued the trend of piling up wins and giving their fans heart attacks by gutting out a 4-3 victory, the team’s fifth win in a row.

The Giants endured an injury scare to a crucial player late in the game when third baseman Matt Chapman took several moments to get to his feet after being picked off at first base in the bottom of the eighth inning. He was seen shaking his right hand, but remained in the game.

Landen Roupp entered the game pitching well, having allowed just one earned run over the right-hander’s past four starts.

Facing a stacked Braves lineup in front of a Hello Kitty-obsessed sellout crowd, he was roughed up early but was able to eventually settle into a groove down the stretch, going six innings and giving up three earned runs on 95 pitches. He improved to 4-4.

Braves ace Spencer Strider also pitched six innings, allowing three earned runs and striking out five.

San Francisco gave the struggling Willy Adames the day off, with Casey Schmitt earning the start at shortstop.

The Braves got on the board first. Former MVP Ronald Acuna walked to lead off the game, went to third on an Austin Riley single and then scored via Matt Olson’s 35th RBI of the season.

Mike Yastrzemski answered with a flyout to center field, which was hit deep enough to score Chapman and tie the game in the second inning.

Atlanta then tacked on two more runs in the third when Olson doubled to center, and the former Oakland A moved to third thanks to a wild Roupp pitch.

In a duel of wily vets, Yastrzemski evened things up at 3-3 when he stroked a double that hugged the right field foul line and scored both Chapman and Flores.

Tyler Fitzgerald gave the Giants the lead when his hard-hit ball was bobbled by Ozzie Albies at second base, allowing Yastrzemski to score from second with two outs.

Following Roupp’s strong start, the Giants turned to their bullpen of Ryan Walker, Randy Rodriguez and Camilo Doval to close out the win against a Braves team that has dropped six in a row, continuing the winning streak that started with the team’s mid-week shakeup.

President of baseball operations Buster Posey designated longtime Giant LaMonte Wade Jr. for assignment and sent away two other vets, and brought in Dominic Smith and a couple of other players, providing a spark.

New-look San Francisco (38-28) pulled even with the rival San Diego Padres in the standings and will try to continue its winning ways on the road.

The Giants will enjoy an off day on Monday, and then will see Kyle Harrison start their series opener in Colorado against the cellar-dwelling Rockies.

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