Even though the San Francisco Giants mounted multiple late responses against the Texas Rangers, Ezequiel Duran was too much to deal with.
After completing a fire sale ahead of Monday’s MLB Trade Deadline, the San Francisco Giants opened their series against the Texas Rangers with a 5-1 win, but Tuesday's game bore different results.
The Giants lost to the Rangers, 5-4, marking the fourth time they have been defeated in the last five games. What happened in Tuesday’s loss?
Rangers strike first
The Giants gave the starting nod to right-hander Blade Tidwell on Tuesday, which marked his first outing in an MLB setting since April 28.
For the last three-plus months, Tidwell has been with Triple-A Sacramento, but he was recalled on Monday. Immediately, the Rangers did not give him a warm welcome.
Tidwell opened his first start of the season by allowing a lead-off walk to Joc Pederson. After he forced Wyatt Langford to pop out, Tidwell gave up a single to Corey Seager and a subsequent RBI double to Brandon Nimmo that made it a 1-0 game.
Then, Tidwell allowed an RBI single to Ezequiel Duran before notching two consecutive outs to escape the inning.
The 25-year-old did not allow any more runs during the remainder of his outing, but he did give up six hits and a walk. The silver lining was that he provided five innings for the Giants while striking out three batters.
Mounting a response
For most of the game, the Giants’ offense did not have an answer.
Through six innings, San Francisco was shut out and only mustered three hits. Then, in the top of the seventh inning, it finally began to produce.
After Drew Gilbert opened the frame with a walk, he proceeded to steal second base. The Giants were in danger of having their momentum squashed when Grant McCray flew out, and Nate Furman grounded out. But Osleivis Basabe came through in a big way with a two-out, two-run home run to tie the game.
However, the Rangers had an answer of their own in the bottom of the eighth when Duran hit a two-RBI double to give Texas a 4-2 lead. Yet the Giants would not quit.
A wild ninth inning
Down to their last three outs, the Giants had to do something, and they did.
After Buddy Kennedy suffered a lead-off strikeout, Gilbert hit a single, and McCray walked to put two men on for San Francisco. A passed ball by Rangers catcher Elias Diaz put both runners in scoring position, and Bryce Eldridge made the most of the opportunity with a one-out, two-RBI single to tie the game at 4-4.
Unfortunately for the Giants, it did not matter because Duran was saving his most crushing blow for last.
In the bottom of the ninth, Dylan Smith replaced Adrian Houser on the mound for the Giants. He started the inning by allowing a double to Jake Burger before forcing Langford to fly out and intentionally walking Seager.
Perhaps Smith and the Giants should have taken their chances with Seager, because after Smith struck out Nimmo, he gave up a walk-off RBI double to Duran. Giants right fielder Jung Hoo Lee went back on the ball, but appeared to either get a cleat stuck or he simply lost his balance.
The ball bounded away from him and Rangers players and fans celebrated a win. All the Giants could do was walk off the field.
