SF Giants shutout in first game with new City Connect jerseys

SAN FRANCISCO — Despite the mixed opinions, the Giants’ original City Connect jerseys became something of a good luck charm. That status was well-warranted given San Francisco went 30-16 with those bright orange and white threads. As for the remixed uniforms? They don’t have that status quite yet.

Landen Roupp allowed one earned run over a career-high six innings and Hayden Birdsong followed with three scoreless innings of relief, but San Francisco (8-3) was shut out for a second consecutive night and lost to the Cincinnati Reds, 1-0, dropping its first series of the year.

“Both our guys pitched great. It’s tough to waste two really good pitching performances in the last couple nights, but just back out there tomorrow and hopefully the offense is better,” said manager Bob Melvin.

To Melvin’s point, San Francisco has gotten some its best pitching of the young season over the last two nights. Logan Webb went toe-to-toe with Hunter Greene on Monday, tossing seven shutout innings with 10 strikeouts and no walks. Roupp turned in the first quality start of his career, then Birdsong pitched his fifth, sixth and seventh scoreless innings of relief. For all that excellent pitching, San Francisco’s offense has been nonexistent against Cincinnati.

Roughly a week after allowing two runs over six innings in Cincinnati, the Reds’ (5-7) Nick Lodolo followed up by tossing six shutout innings against the Giants before handing the ball off to the bullpen. Following Lodolo’s departure, Braxton Ashcraft pitched a pair of scoreless innings in the seventh and eighth, then Emilio Pagán shut the door in the ninth. San Francisco finished the night 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position, though those lack of runs weren’t completely due to a lack of hard-hit baseballs.

The Giants were close to plating a run when Heliot Ramos hit a line drive to the right-field warning track in the bottom of the fifth inning that would’ve easily scored Casey Schmitt, but Cincinnati’s Jake Fraley made a diving, over-the-shoulder catch to keep San Francisco scoreless. Sam Huff led off the bottom of the eighth with a single and was pinch-ran for by Christian Koss, but the miniature rally evaporated when Ramos hit into a double play. In the ninth, Matt Chapman smashed a 105.0 mph line drive right at an awaiting Fraley.

“We had a tough night last night, then the first few innings don’t go well and they make some pretty good plays in the field,” Melvin said. “I don’t want to say you start pressing, but probably tried to do a little too much and end up getting shut out two nights in a row. Ramos’ ball looks like it’s going over (Fraley’s) head. He makes a great play in right field and we just couldn’t do enough.”

San Francisco Giants’ Willy Adames #2 reacts after striking out looking against Cincinnati Reds relief pitcher Nick Lodolo #40 in the sixth inning of their MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, April 8, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

For Willy Adames, Tuesday night was an especially frustrating affair. After going hitless in four at-bats with three strikeouts, Adames has now struck out at least twice in six of his first 11 games with the Giants after signing a franchise-record $182 million dollar deal. Even with the dramatic walk-off hit to cap the home opener, Adames is currently hitting .200 with a .489 OPS. Melvin, though, isn’t concerned with the early slump.

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“He’s got some RBIs. He’s got some big hits for us. Just hasn’t gotten going yet,” Melvin said. “But not the only guy. So, he will. Not too worried about him. Maybe just trying to do a little too much.”

The Reds generated their lone run of the ballgame against Roupp in the top of the third when Spencer Steer scored on Jose Trevino’s groundout. Schmitt, playing just his third professional game at first base, saved Roupp a run in the top of the fifth inning when Trevino tried to execute the squeeze play with runners at the corners and one out, but Schmitt charged hard and fired home to Huff, who applied the tag and denied a run. Schmitt also recorded two hits at the plate, his first being a 111.4 mph double that was just below his career-high exit velocity of 111.6 mph.

“He played a really good first base tonight,” Roupp said. “They tried to squeeze and it was a really nice play that kept us in the game. You couldn’t ask more from him tonight.”

Cincinnati Reds outfielders TJ Friedl, #29 Cincinnati Blake Dunn #59 and Jake Fraley #27 celebrate their 1-0 MLB win over the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, April 8, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)Cincinnati Reds relief pitcher Emilio Pagán #15 and catcher Jose Trevino #35 celebrate their 1-0 MLB win over the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, April 8, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)San Francisco Giants’ Jung Hoo Lee #51 flies out against Cincinnati Reds relief pitcher Emilio Pagán #15 in the ninth inning of their MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, April 8, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)San Francisco Giants’ Jung Hoo Lee #51 heads for the dugout after flying out against Cincinnati Reds relief pitcher Emilio Pagán #15 in the ninth inning of their MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, April 8, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)San Francisco Giants’ Casey Schmitt #10 strikes out against Cincinnati Reds relief pitcher Graham Ashcraft #23 in the seventh inning of their MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, April 8, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)San Francisco Giants’ Christian Koss #50 is out at second as Cincinnati Reds second baseman Gavin Lux #2 makes the throw to first base after San Francisco Giants’ Heliot Ramos #17 grounded into a double play in the eighth inning of their MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, April 8, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)San Francisco Giants’ Willy Adames #2 tosses his helmet after striking out swinging against Cincinnati Reds relief pitcher Graham Ashcraft #23 in the eighth inning of their MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, April 8, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)Cincinnati Reds’ Jeimer Candelario #3 strikes out against San Francisco Giants relief pitcher Hayden Birdsong #60 in the ninth inning of their MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, April 8, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)San Francisco Giants’ Jung Hoo Lee #51 catches a fly ball hit by Cincinnati Reds’ Jose Trevino #35 in the eighth inning of their MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, April 8, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)San Francisco Giants relief pitcher Hayden Birdsong #60 throws against the Cincinnati Reds in the seventh inning of their MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, April 8, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)San Francisco Giants’ Jung Hoo Lee #51 reaches second base on a balk by Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Nick Lodolo #40 in the sixth inning of their MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, April 8, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)San Francisco Giants second baseman Tyler Fitzgerald #49 catches a line drive hit by Cincinnati Reds’ Jake Fraley #27 in the seventh inning of their MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, April 8, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)San Francisco Giants’ Jung Hoo Lee #51 follows through on a hit which got him on base due to a fielding error by Cincinnati Reds second baseman Gavin Lux #2 in the sixth inning of their MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, April 8, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Nick Lodolo #40 throws against the San Francisco Giants in the fifth inning of their MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, April 8, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)San Francisco Giants’ Heliot Ramos #17 can’t get to a ground-rule double hit by Cincinnati Reds’ Spencer Steer #7 as it bounces into the stands in the fifth inning of their MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, April 8, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)San Francisco Giants’ Tyler Fitzgerald #49 hits a sacrifice bunt off Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Nick Lodolo #40 in the fifth inning of their MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, April 8, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)San Francisco Giants shortstop Willy Adames #2 completes throws to first base as Cincinnati Reds’ Gavin Lux #2 reacts after Jeimer Candelario #3 grounded into the double play in the second inning of their MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, April 8, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Landen Roupp #65 throws against the Cincinnati Reds in the second inning of their MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, April 8, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)San Francisco Giants’ Heliot Ramos #17 is safe at second base as Cincinnati Reds second baseman Gavin Lux #2 makes the throw to first base in the first inning of their MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, April 8, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)[image error]San Francisco Giants’ Willy Adames #2 and teammate Heliot Ramos #17 wear their new City Connect jerseys before their MLB game against the Cincinnati Reds at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, April 8, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)San Francisco Giants’ Jung Hoo Lee #51 wears the new City Connect jersey with a 1958 patch on it before their MLB game against the Cincinnati Reds at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, April 8, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)San Francisco Giants’ Heliot Ramos #17 talks with teammate Mike Yastrzemski #5 while wearing their new City Connect jerseys before their MLB game against the Cincinnati Reds at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, April 8, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)Show Caption1 of 22Cincinnati Reds outfielders TJ Friedl, #29 Cincinnati Blake Dunn #59 and Jake Fraley #27 celebrate their 1-0 MLB win over the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, April 8, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)Expand