The Giants wrapped up their first road trip under manager Tony Vitello with a tough 7-1 loss to the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. Despite the defeat, the series offered some promising highlights for San Francisco fans.
Vitello, reflecting on the series, noted, “The guys found themselves a little bit getting away from home.” Indeed, the Giants secured a series win, thanks in part to Vitello’s first managerial victory and Logan Webb’s standout performance on Tuesday.
Adrian Houser, making his Giants debut, took the loss after allowing three runs, only one of which was earned, over 5 1/3 innings. He struck out four and walked one. Defensive miscues were costly, with first baseman Casey Schmitt struggling to handle throws from third baseman Matt Chapman, leading to unearned runs in the first and fifth innings.
A heated exchange between Chapman and Schmitt was caught on camera, but both players downplayed the incident postgame. “We’re brothers here,” Chapman said, emphasizing that the moment was already behind them.
Offensively, the Giants couldn’t replicate their previous night’s success, managing just four hits and striking out 14 times. Luis Arraez was a bright spot, collecting three hits in the game.
On the mound for the Padres, Nick Pivetta was dominant, delivering five scoreless innings with eight strikeouts. He continued his strong track record against the Giants, having allowed just two runs in his last three starts against them.
The game also marked the major league debut of rookie catcher Daniel Susac, who impressed with a key defensive play in the eighth inning, turning a 2-1 double play.
José Buttó’s outing was concerning, as he left in the eighth with elbow/forearm tightness after struggling with command and velocity. Vitello noted the tightness was apparent throughout Buttó’s appearance.
The Padres took an early lead, capitalizing on a Giants error in the first inning. Another error in the fifth allowed them to extend their advantage. Houser gave up his first earned run in the sixth, leading to a bullpen call.
The Giants managed to get on the board in the seventh with Harrison Bader driving in Arraez. However, the Padres’ pitching held firm, and San Francisco couldn’t close the gap.
Looking ahead, the Giants will aim to build on the positives from this series as they continue their season.