Braves snap skid
Atlanta Braves end four-game skid, defeat San Francisco Giants 3-1 with strong relief pitching
The Atlanta Braves snapped a four-game losing streak Friday night, beating the San Francisco Giants 3-1 at Oracle Park behind a dominant bullpen performance. Mauricio Dubón, playing against his former team, went 2-for-4 with two runs scored to fuel the offense AP.
The win moves Atlanta to 49-31 on the season. The Giants fall to 33-48, 15 games under .500 CBS Sports.
Dubón and Albies Power a Revenge-Fueled Offense
Dubón spent four seasons in San Francisco from 2019 to 2022 before moving on. He wasted no time making the Giants pay. He singled and scored in both the 3rd and 5th innings AJC. Dubón also stole a base and was a thorn in the Giants' side all night.
Ozzie Albies provided the key blows. He hit an RBI single in the 3rd inning to give Atlanta a 2-1 lead. He then added a sacrifice fly in the 5th to push the margin to 3-1 AP. Albies now has 44 RBIs on the season, batting .281. Dominic Smith, another ex-Giant, also chipped in with a run-scoring single in the 2nd to tie the game at 1-1.
Braves Bullpen Shuts Giants Down for Six Innings
Starter Reynaldo López gave up a run in the first inning on a Rafael Devers RBI double, then settled in. He pitched three innings before handing the ball to the bullpen AJC. From there, Dylan Dodd, Hurston Waldrep, Dylan Lee, Didier Fuentes, and closer Raisel Iglesias combined for six scoreless innings, giving up just three hits.
The Giants threatened most dangerously in the 5th, loading the bases with one out. Waldrep escaped without letting a run score AP. Iglesias closed it out in the 9th, retiring Luis Arraez on a groundout for his 16th save. He has now converted 24 straight save chances dating back to the 2025 season.
Giants Go 0-for-8 With Runners in Scoring Position
San Francisco had chances but could not cash in. The Giants went 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position and left the bases loaded in the 5th inning AP. They also stranded multiple runners in the 7th and 8th. The Giants finished with 7 hits but only managed one run.
Losing pitcher Trevor McDonald took the loss, dropping to 2-6. He allowed all 3 Braves runs on 7 hits over 5.1 innings AJC. The Giants' rookie catcher Drew Cavanaugh made his Major League debut Friday, collecting a single in his first career at-bat, a bright spot in an otherwise quiet night for San Francisco WRAL.
Giants Eye Youth Movement as Trade Deadline Looms
At 33-48, San Francisco is firmly in seller territory ahead of the July trade deadline CBS Sports. Bay Area fans and analysts are shifting focus to prospects like Bryce Eldridge and Victor Bericoto. Cavanaugh's debut Friday fits that trend. The team traded catcher Patrick Bailey to Cleveland earlier this season, opening the door for younger players behind the plate.
The Braves, meanwhile, open Saturday's game against Giants ace Logan Webb (4-5, 3.35 ERA). Atlanta will counter with right-hander Bryce Elder, who is 5-5 with a 3.71 ERA AJC. Elder struck out a career-high 12 batters in a start earlier this June. Atlanta's manager Walt Weiss, in his first season after replacing retired skipper Brian Snitker, praised his bullpen for "clamping down" during a tough stretch on the road.
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