Giants Beat Dodgers as Trevor McDonald Shines, Emmet Sheehan Falters

The San Francisco Giants wrapped up their final road trip of the season on a bittersweet note. Hopes of a postseason push faded after a tough stretch—first a series loss in Arizona, then three straight defeats to the Dodgers.

Saturday’s setback meant the Giants would lose all four season series to the Dodgers in 2025. Still, Sunday’s 3-1 win offered a small dose of satisfaction in an otherwise frustrating campaign.

Rookie Trevor McDonald made his debut, and the team rallied late against Dodgers reliever Blake Treinen to salvage a morale-boosting victory.

McDonald’s Impressive MLB Debut

Trevor McDonald, making his first career start, looked remarkably composed. He matched Dodgers right-hander Emmet Sheehan pitch for pitch through six innings.

The 23-year-old righty leaned on his sinker, generating ground balls and keeping the usually dangerous Los Angeles lineup off-balance. Sheehan, meanwhile, racked up 10 strikeouts and allowed just one hit over seven innings, but McDonald trusted his defense and got outs his own way.

Turning Point in the Seventh

The rookie’s afternoon hit a snag in the seventh. He issued a leadoff walk, then gave up two singles—the second an RBI knock from former Giant Michael Conforto that put the Dodgers ahead.

Bryce Eldridge responded with a slick defensive double play, ending the threat and keeping San Francisco within reach. That set up some late-inning drama.

Late Rally Sparks the Giants

The eighth inning changed everything. Facing veteran reliever Blake Treinen, the Giants put together a string of clutch at-bats.

Christian Koss, Drew Gilbert, and Patrick Bailey each singled, loading the bases and tying the game. Willy Adames then worked through a tense nine-pitch at-bat, finally drawing a walk to force in the go-ahead run.

Dodger Stadium Turns on Treinen

That was enough to chase Treinen from the mound, and Dodger Stadium let him hear it with a wave of boos. For a team that’s struggled to score, the Giants’ ability to grind out quality at-bats in a high-pressure spot felt like a breath of fresh air.

Holding the Lead Against a Dangerous Lineup

Protecting a one-run lead against a Dodgers lineup with Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, and Freddie Freeman? That’s never easy.

Joey Lucchesi and Ryan Walker stepped up, getting huge outs when it mattered most. Walker retired Ohtani on a key grounder and struck out Freeman to lock down the ninth.

Takeaways from the Road Trip

The trip hurt their already slim playoff hopes, but a few things stood out for the future:

• Promising debut for Trevor McDonald — The rookie handled the pressure of a rivalry game and flashed a strong sinkerball repertoire.
• Clutch hitting returns—briefly — The Giants managed a textbook late-inning rally, something that’s been missing most of the year.
• Bullpen resilience — Lucchesi and Walker delivered in the biggest moments, even against superstar hitters.

Looking Ahead

The Giants know the postseason is basically out of reach now. With that in mind, they’ll turn their focus to young players like McDonald and maybe try to spoil a few teams’ hopes along the way.

Games like Sunday’s might not change their whole outlook, but they can help build some confidence for 2026. That spark—however small—means something, especially after a rough year.

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Here is the source article for this story: Giants find win in unlikeliest place