Luis Matos' 9th-inning homer wasn't enough as the Giants fell 5-2 to the Dodgers on July 13, 2025. See how LA's 11th-inning rally stunned Oracle Park.
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
One swing. That's all it took for Oracle Park to erupt, for a seemingly inevitable loss to transform into a moment of pure baseball magic. Luis Matos' ninth-inning, two-run homer was a jolt of electricity, a defiant roar against their archrivals. But as the team regroups on a quiet Monday, the Giants and their fans are left nursing a familiar hangover: the sting of a 5-2, 11-inning loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers, a game they had in their grasp and let slip away.
From the highest of highs to the lowest of lows, Sunday's finale was a microcosm of the Giants' season: moments of brilliance overshadowed by an inability to land the final blow.
Down to their final two outs and trailing 2-0, the Giants' hopes looked bleak. But Matt Chapman sparked the rally with a single, setting the stage for pinch-hitter Luis Matos. He battled, then launched a towering shot that just stayed fair down the left-field line, tying the game and sending the home crowd into a frenzy. The momentum felt unstoppable. Unfortunately, baseball is a cruel game. After a scoreless tenth, the Dodgers did what they do best. Freddie Freeman's go-ahead bloop single was the gut punch, followed by RBI hits from Teoscar Hernández and Andy Pages that put the game, and the series, out of reach. Spencer Bivens (2-3) was saddled with the tough-luck loss.
While the Giants were quiet on the transaction wire Monday, the front office is clearly still searching for the right formula on the mound. The loss Sunday, charged to Spencer Bivens, came just a day after the team recalled right-hander Tristan Beck from Triple-A Sacramento, optioning Mason Black in a corresponding move. This constant tinkering highlights the ongoing effort to stabilize a bullpen that has been both a source of strength and frustration. Finding reliable arms to navigate high-leverage situations like Sunday's extra frames remains a top priority.
Dropping two of three at home to the Dodgers is never easy, but the way this one ended is particularly painful. The Giants showed incredible fight to force extra innings, but the offense went silent when it mattered most in the 10th and 11th. It's a recurring theme that the team needs to solve. These are the games that separate contenders from pretenders in a tight divisional race. The fight is there, but the execution needs to follow.
As the dust settles from a wild weekend, the Giants have to turn the page quickly. This loss stings, a reminder of the thin margin for error against elite teams like the Dodgers. The challenge now is to channel the energy from Matos' blast and learn from the late-game letdown. With the season progressing, San Francisco can't afford to let these hard-fought opportunities slip through their fingers.
