PHOENIX — Bob Melvin shrugged and grimaced on Thursday afternoon when asked if Camilo Doval and Randy Rodriguez would be available for the series finale. The bullpen had to work hard in Wednesday’s extra-innings win, and Melvin knew he would have to get creative if he was protecting a lead a day later.
Robbie Ray told his manager not to worry about it.
Making his first start at Chase Field as a visitor, the left-hander was perfect until a solo homer from Eugenio Suarez in the fifth. That was one of just three hits from the Diamondbacks, as Ray led a dominant 7-2 win that secured a series split that seemed unlikely at multiple points this week.
Ray cruised through the night, throwing just 57 pitches through six innings. He was at 78 after eight, allowing him to chase his first complete game since 2017, when he was a Diamondback.
A soft groundout opened the ninth before Ketel Marte yanked a solo homer down the line. After a walk of Geraldo Perdomo, pitching coach J.P. Martinez came out for a mound meeting. Lourdes Gurriel Jr. popped the next pitch up and Ray struck out Eugenio Suarez to end the night.
Ray Day = Win Day
Ray was likely in line to make his second All-Star team anyway, but you never know how things will shake out when MLB has to account for having one player from every team. His dominant start Thursday was well-timed, giving him one last push three days before teams are announced. Now, it should be a no-brainer.
Ray finished the night ranked eighth in the NL in ERA and tied for fourth in innings. He is one of three National League pitchers with nine wins and the Giants are 14-4 in his starts.
Back In Black (Jerseys)
Willy Adames took much better swings in June, but he still had just a .675 OPS in the month. In July, the production has arrived.
Adames hit a 425-foot rocket in his second plate appearance that would have been a home run in 29 ballparks. At Chase Field, where there’s a mammoth wall in center and an elevated yellow line, it was a very, very long double. Umpires reviewed it, but it hit the wall a few feet under the yellow line.
Willy Adames teed off on this ball 🏌️♂️ pic.twitter.com/Mn7z7MFdis
— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) July 4, 2025
Adames later yanked a double down the left field line, giving him his first multi-double game as a Giant. Two days after a loud homer, he also had a walk and infield single.
That’s Sick, Dude
Heliot Ramos was under the weather early in the series and it showed. Melvin gave him Wednesday off to recover, and when the clubhouse opened on Thursday, Ramos was all smiles. Whatever it was — and he didn’t know — had passed.
Ramos looked like himself Thursday. He had an RBI double in his first at-bat and an RBI single in the third as the Giants jumped out to a 4-0 lead.
Heliot gets it started 🙌 pic.twitter.com/edT0UlIOzX
— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) July 4, 2025
The left fielder is unlikely to make a second straight All-Star team given the depth at outfield in the National League, but he’ll take a .277 average and .804 OPS back to California.
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