SAN FRANCISCO — With a looming three-game series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, a clean sweep of the Arizona Diamondbacks would’ve been a boon for the Giants as they chase down the New York Mets for the final NL wild-card spot.
They’ll have to settle for two of three.
Carson Seymour recorded four outs and surrendered four runs while Arizona’s Eduardo Rodriguez allowed two hits over 6 1/3 scoreless innings as the Giants fell 5-3 to the Diamondbacks on Wednesday afternoon. They’re currently 2.5 games behind the Mets, who play the Philadelphia Phillies later tonight.
Two of San Francisco’s three runs were the product of a 418-foot two-run double by Rafael Devers that bounced off the concrete lip of the right-center field brick wall. Per Baseball Savant, Devers’ two-bagger would’ve been a home run at any other ballpark.
The Giants immediately found themselves trailing 1-0 when Seymour allowed a leadoff homer to Geraldo Perdomo. Seymour finished the first having allowed no further damage, but a barrage of singles led to an early exit for the rookie right-hander.
Arizona began the top of the second with three straight singles from Blaze Alexander, Alek Thomas and Tim Tawa, the last of which scored a run and increased San Francisco’s deficit to 2-0. Following a sacrifice bunt, Perdomo drove in his second run of the afternoon with a single to right field, knocking Seymour out of the game in the process.
Seymour’s early departure left manager Bob Melvin with 23 outs to cover. Right-hander Spencer Bivens assumed the bulk role, turning in his longest outing of the season by pitching 3 2/3 innings of scoreless relief.
Trailing 5-2 going into the bottom of the ninth, the Giants brought the tying run to the plate in the bottom of the ninth when Matt Chapman drew a leadoff walk, then Casey Schmitt hit a one-out double that ricocheted off third base and into left field.
Jung Hoo Lee cut San Francisco’s deficit to 5-3 on a groundout that scored Chapman, but that would be as close as the Giants would get to mounting a comeback.