SF Giants' futility continues in seventh straight loss to Diamondbacks

Justice delos Santos, The Mercury News on Jun 30, 2026

Published in Baseball

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PHOENIX — Victor Bericoto found himself in no man’s land.

It was the top of the second. Two outs. Bericoto on first. Bryce Eldridge on second. Eric Haase at the plate. The count: 2-1. The Diamondbacks’ Eduardo Rodriguez fired Haase an elevated four-seam fastball, bringing the count to 2-2.

And Bericoto, to the bewilderment of everyone, put his head down and started jogging to second, apparently thinking Haase had struck out.

Catcher Gabriel Moreno fired a throw to first baseman Pavin Smith. Bericoto was trapped. Smith flipped to second baseman Ketel Marte, and Marte flipped the ball right back to Smith. The tag was applied. The inning was over. The opportunity was wasted.

The rookie’s error was not the sole reason San Francisco lost 5-4 to Arizona on Monday night at Chase Field, the Giants’ seventh loss to the Diamondbacks in seven attempts this season. But Bericoto’s blunder was the latest in a season full of them, the types of mistakes that have come to define the 2026 San Francisco Giants.

San Francisco entered the ninth trailing by three runs and made things interesting against closer Paul Sewald, getting a solo homer from Heliot Ramos and a pinch-hit RBI single from rookie Drew Cavanaugh. Ultimately, their comeback fell short.

This defeat not only marks the first time that the Giants have lost their first seven games against the Diamondbacks to start a season, but the first time they’ve lost their first seven games against an opponent since dropping seven straight against the Padres in 2010.

San Francisco’s (35-49) loss was partially the product of another type of unforced error: free passes. Three pitchers — Tyler Mahle, Sam Hentges and JT Brubaker — combined to walk six batters. In the bottom of the fifth, the Diamondbacks scored three runs with the help of four walks as Mahle and Hentges issued two apiece.

This loss was the 31st instance of the Giants’ pitching staff combining to walk at least five batters, which is tied with the Kansas City Royals for the fourth-most such games in the majors.

Heliot Ramos hit his first home run since coming off the injured list on Sunday, a solo shot in the top of the ninth for his fifth homer of the season.

Utility man Casey Schmitt, starting at shortstop in place of the ailing Willy Adames, had a particularly unlucky night, going hitless with a sacrifice fly despite generating exit velocities of 110.7 mph, 106.9 mph and 102.2 mph.

Nolan Arenado continued to torment the Giants by hitting his 36th career home run against the team, the most he’s hit against any opponent in his career.

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