RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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See the full story · 1 sourcesThe San Francisco Giants entered their series against the Milwaukee Brewers facing a difficult challenge. Milwaukee came into the matchup with one of the best records in the National League, while the Giants have endured a difficult season.
San Francisco did have some momentum after winning its previous series against the Los Angeles Angels . Although the Giants dropped the series finale, they hoped to carry some of that momentum into Monday's opener.
The Giants' Tyler Mahle got the start for San Francisco after a difficult season that saw him enter the game with a 5.31 ERA. His previous outing was a step in the right direction as he tossed 5.0 innings while allowing three runs. Milwaukee countered with rookie Brandon Sproat , who has also struggled this season.
Given the challenges both pitchers have faced, the matchup appeared fairly even on paper.
The Giants came away with a 3-0 victory in the series opener. Mahle earned his third win of the season, improving to 3-9, while Erik Miller recorded his third save of the year.
It took a few innings for the offense to break through, but the Giants struck first in the bottom of the third. Luis Arraez delivered an RBI single to give San Francisco a 1-0 lead. That would be the only run of the inning, but the Giants added to their advantage in the fourth when Grant McCray launched a two-run home run.
The #SFGiants take game 1 💪 pic.twitter.com/UQM8eCPlBk
— SFGiants (@SFGiants) July 28, 2026 The blast marked McCray's first home run of the season as well as his first hit of 2026. It was certainly a welcome development as the Giants extended their lead and gave Mahle additional breathing room.
Mahle turned in his best performance in weeks, throwing 6.0 scoreless innings while allowing three hits, walking two, and striking out three. While the strikeout total was modest, his ability to limit baserunners and prevent runs stood out, especially considering how difficult his season has been.
His velocity also showed noticeable improvement. Mahle's average fastball has typically sat around 92.5 mph this season, but it averaged 94.2 mph in this outing. He also saw an uptick in velocity across the rest of his arsenal, which could help explain why he was far more effective than he had been in recent starts.
The Giants' bullpen handled the rest with little trouble. Sam Hentges pitched the seventh inning, Dylan Smith worked the eighth, and both delivered effective outings. Erik Miller closed out the ninth to secure the shutout and seal the Giants' victory in the series opener.
The Giants will continue the three-game series on Tuesday. A win would secure the series against one of the NL's top teams. Landen Roupp (7-8, 3.93 ERA) is scheduled to start for San Francisco, while Logan Henderson (4-1, 3.05 ERA) is expected to take the mound for Milwaukee.
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