SF Giants' bullpen combines for four scoreless innings in narrow win vs. Dodgers

Justice delos Santos, The Mercury News on Apr 22, 2026

Published in Baseball

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SAN FRANCISCO — The Giants’ bullpen has been, and continues to be, something of a mystery. On Tuesday night at Oracle Park in front of a sellout crowd, San Francisco’s relievers delivered their best combined effort of the season.

Ryan Borucki, Matt Gage, Erik Miller, Keaton Winn and Ryan Walker combined to throw four scoreless innings and protect a two-run lead as the Giants beat the Dodgers 3-1. For Walker, it was his second save of the season.

Right-hander Landen Roupp (4-1) allowed one run over five innings, striking out seven batters but surrendering a season-high five walks, four of which were in the fourth inning.

Two-way sensation Shohei Ohtani, who is slated to start tomorrow’s game, beat out an infield single in the top of the seventh inning to extend his on-base streak to 53 games, which dates back to last season.

The Dodgers had an awful defensive inning in the bottom of the first, paving the way for the Giants (10-13) to take an early 3-0 lead.

Shortstop Hyeseong Kim kick-started San Francisco’s rally when he airmailed a throw into the Dodgers’ dugout, allowing Willy Adames to reach second base (Adames was granted a hit).

Following Luis Arraez’s single, Matt Chapman’s walk and Rafael Devers’ RBI single, left fielder Tesocar Hernández and center fielder Alex Call collided on a fly ball of the bat of Casey Schmitt. Arraez easily scored from third, and Chapman took advantage of Call being on the ground by advancing to third. San Francisco took advantage of the extra 90 feet as Jung Hoo Lee followed up with a single to drive in Chapman.

Roupp dominated the first three innings, striking out Ohtani in the first (changeup) and third (curveball), but inexplicably lost his command in the top of the fourth. He started the frame by walking Freddie Freeman, and following a 4-3 fielder’s choice, Roupp proceeded to walk Max Muncy, Dalton Rushing and Kim, gifting the Dodgers their first run.

With his back against the wall, Roupp made his biggest pitch of the night, getting Alex Call to ground into an inning-ending 5-4-3 double play. When Devers caught Arraez’s throw to end the inning, Roupp let out a roar as he walked back to the dugout.

Despite a taxing fourth inning, manager Tony Vitello sent Roupp out for the fifth inning. Roupp’s final frame of the night was far less taxing, retiring the side in order and ending his start by striking out Kyle Tucker looking with a perfectly-placed backdoor curveball.

The Giants tried to tack on another run in the bottom of the sixth when third base coach Hector Borg made an aggressive send, but the move didn’t work in San Francisco’s favor.

With two outs and Lee on first, Ramos smashed a single to center field. Lee could’ve easily cruised into third, but Borg didn’t hesitate to wave Lee home. Call made a lackadaisical throw back to the infield, but second baseman Alex Freeland threw a strike home to nail Lee with feet to spare.

Lee awkwardly slid into home plate, and before the eighth inning, Jerar Encarnacion entered the game as a defensive replacement for Lee.

In the top of the eighth, Vitello and Dodgers manager Dave Roberts engaged in some managerial chess. With two outs and a runner on second, Roberts brought in the right-handed hitting Will Smith to face left-hander Erik Miller. Vitello, in turn, brought in right-hander Keaton Winn, who struck out Smith to end the inning.

Walker retired the side in the top of the ninth inning, striking out Freeland swinging to strand Ohtani in the on-deck circle.