One thing about aces is that while they’re usually the best card, in some rare games, they’re the lowest. That’s what happened Tuesday in Pittsburgh, when reigning Cy Young winner Paul Skenes faced off against three-time All-Star and one-time pitching WAR second-place finisher Logan Webb.
By the bottom of the third inning, Skenes had given up five runs and Webb was out of the game after giving up nine runs and failing to record an out. The result was a pitching-light game where the Giants produced two separate five-run innings and still lost, 13-12, on a walk-off error from Osleivis Basabe, on a play that started with a pretty nice stop from the out-of-position infielder. Like the final play itself, was some of the best and worst baseball you’ll ever see from both teams and the rare game that leaves both fanbases scarred and upset.
Should a baseball team have to walk it off in a game where they were up five runs in the 8th inning? Probably not, but that’s what happens when, on the second night in a row, a team failed to respect the bats of Turner Hill and Nate Furman. Hill went 4-for-5 with two runs scored and Furman delivered a game-tying two-run single in the 8th. Furman’s probably already worth what he cost in trade: The last 22 innings of Alex Cobb’s career.
It looked so promising early against Skenes, who has taken a step back in his third season but remains the Pirates’ ace. Osleivis Basabe battled through eight pitches to draw just his third walk of the season, equaling his total of hit-by-pitches. Drew Cavanaugh legged out an infield hit before Tony Vitello decided to get conservative for the apparent pitchers duel by bunting the runners to second and third.
It paid off when Christian Koss hit an RBI single, though Cavanaugh couldn’t repeat his speed demon effort to score from second. Clutch king Turner Hill knocked in Cavanugh with a single and Rafael Devers cleared the bases with his 31st home run of the season.
A 5-2 lead with Webb on the mound? The Giants were in business! Only Webb simply didn’t have his command, evidenced by drilling two hitters in a two-run 1st inning. The Giants got him out of the second inning with an impressive double play, but the 3rd inning was big trouble.
The Pirates hitters were scattering singles like an appreciative lunch buffet audience at the Gold Club. Webb gave up four straight hits, then issued two bases-loaded walks, which is really frowned upon. His night ended after perpetually-struggling former No. 1 pick Henry Davis hit Webb’s 33rd pitch — a 92 MPH fastball down the absolute middle of the plate — for a two-run single.
The improbably-named Braxton Roxby relieved Webb and immediately let Davis, who is no Drew Cavanaugh, steal second base easily. That meant Davis scored on Spencer Horowitz’s single. That was followed by a single from Brandon Lowe (4-for-6, three runs), the 9th straight Pirates hitter to reach base. Usually “batting around” doesn’t mean nine batters and zero outs but the 2026 Giants are a special team.
Roxby finally got an out on a fielder’s choice, then followed it up with a hit batsman and a two-run single from O’Neil Cruz (4-for-6, 4 RBI), who had two separate RBI singles in the 3rd. Final damage? 17 batters, nine hits, two walks, a HBP, a stolen base, and nine runs. It could have been worse, since the Pirates had the bases loaded when the inning finally ended.
But to their credit, the Giants did not cave. Cesar Perdomo, making his major-league debut, struck out four in four innings of relief and yielded only one run, on a Lowe home run.
Perdomo hadn’t pitched above A-ball this season, so this was a very impressive effort for the 24-year-old Venezuelan, who was promoted to the roster just hours before the game. He almost certainly didn’t think he’d be called upon in a Webb start, but he pitched admirably — there’s no shame in letting Lowe go deep for the 29th time this season.
The rookies came through once again. Jonah Cox, who also hadn’t played above A-ball before this season, went 2-for-5 with a walk and legged out an infield hit to get the Giants to 11-6 in the 6th. Cavanaugh, who had less than 200 plate appearances in AAA, went 3-for-5 with a two-run double. We think he’ll get a lower number than #61 next season.
Bryce Eldridge went 1-for-4, but walked twice to give him 49 BBs for the season, which is very encouraging for a 21-year-old. Furman has three hits in his last four at-bats and should get a chance at third base if his tiny body is able to make the long throw, or let Basabe (exceeded rookie limits in 2023) take the hot corner (apologies to all three Shay Whitcomb fans out there). And Braxton Roxby continues to break record for pitching statistics by a man named Roxby, though he has a ways to go to climb the ranks of Braxtons (there’s two other pitchers).
The Giants got to see their old friend Camilo Doval, who worked a scoreless 7th inning with two strikeouts. Thankfully, the Giants still have Parks Harber in the minors from that trade, restocking their reserves of players with extremely silly names.
In the climactic 9th inning, the Pirates were able to convert where the Giants simply couldn’t. Mason Montgomery hit a batter and gave up two hits, including a double from Cox, but got an early double play and induced Jung Hoo Lee (0-for-5 with a walk) to ground out to end the threat. Meanwhile, Carson Seymour gave up two hits, but got unlucky when Basabe couldn’t get Lowe on his final goundout.
It’s certainly better than losing in a blowout, and there were a lot of positives! Still, it was a game where even when the Giants roared back to tie, and Vitello pushed the right buttons, it still felt like they’d blow it. And they did, losing in a brand-new way than their previous 81 defeats.
The 2026 Giants may be bad, really bad. But they’ve still retained the ability to surprise their fans, even when it’s ultimately gut-wrenching. And that’s something.
