SEATTLE — It has been a season-long struggle for the Giants to build any kind of momentum, usually thwarted just as things get good by subpar pitching or poor defense.

Once again, it was the same culprits that kept them from extending a three-game winning streak to four. The Giants got home runs from Rafael Devers and Willy Adames and six shutout innings from Logan Webb on Saturday but still fell to 0-6 when going for their fourth win in a row. 

The second hit Webb surrendered was a three-run home run that tied the game in the seventh, and after the Giants weren’t able to push across their automatic runner in extra innings, Julio Rodriguez sent them to a 4-3 walkoff loss with a sacrifice fly off Dylan Smith in the 10th.

The Giants led 3-0 when Webb served up the game-tying homer to Cole Young, and almost on cue, Luis Arraez flubbed a grounder from the next batter for only his fifth error, which proved inconsequential in the outcome but was tinged with symbolism.

When Webb took the mound to begin the seventh, he seemed poised to take it to the finish line. He had yielded just one hit, faced two batters over the minimum and thrown only 70 pitches.

Things began to unravel as soon as a 3-2 changeup ran inside and clipped Randy Arozarena, his second hit batsman of the game. Webb walked the next batter, Josh Naylor, and Young made him pay for the free base runners.

Webb keeled over as he watched a sweeper at Young’s knees sail 405 feet into the right field seats. He had to settle for a no-decision and one of the more disappointing quality starts of his career, finishing 6 ⅓ innings with three earned runs on only two hits.

It had been the pitcher’s duel as advertised through five innings with Bryan Woo, a Bay Area native, largely taking care of business against his hometown team.

The only run on either starter’s line until that point had been unearned, when Drew Gilbert got a late send from third-base coach Gary Pettis after center fielder Luke Raley mishandled the second of two singles from Bryce Eldridge, opening a 1-0 lead in the third.

A day after providing all the offense the Giants would need with his ninth homer of the season, Eldridge was the only Giant to record multiple hits and drew a walk to reach for a third time.

Adames and Devers teamed up to extend the Giants’ lead to 3-0 with a pair of solo shots in the sixth. Devers became the first Giant to 20 home runs, sneaking his just over the 331’ sign down the left field line to lead off the inning. Adames went the opposite way for his 17th — and second in as many games — lining a misplaced sinker over the right-field wall.

The home runs gave Webb some cushion to work with. 

But only an inning later, it was gone, and so was Webb.

What it means

Strong pitching and defense had put the Giants in position to win their fourth game in a row for the first time all season, but as soon as both areas went south, so did San Francisco’s chances.

Who’s hot

In a rarity, Adames and Devers at the same time.

Adames homered for the second game in a row, and Devers left the park for the second time in five games, predating the All-Star break. The coalescence of power from their two highest-paid hitters supposed to anchor their lineup hasn’t happened often this season.

It was only the third time all year that Adames and Devers have homered in the same game.

Both players heated up in the second half last season, combining for 36 home runs after the All-Star break, and it would appear the duo is on track for another strong finish.

Who’s not

Webb had been anything but over his two most recent starts going into the All-Star break.

The 12 earned runs he allowed were more than any previous two-start span in his career. But there were signs that the skid would be but a blip, namely the six scoreless innings that followed five tough-luck runs in the first inning of his last start.

Either way, the Giants decided it would be best for Webb to rest up over the All-Star break, and with 10 days since his last start, he was back in the business of putting up zeroes.

Between the five-run first in his last start and the three-spot the Mariners put up against him in the seventh, Webb strung together 13 consecutive scoreless innings.

Up next

The series finale features Robbie Ray against his former team, who opposes him with Logan Gilbert. Ray was traded to the Giants by the Mariners back in January 2024 and, now, is expected to be on the move again ahead of the Aug. 3 trade deadline.

Ray has limited opponents to three runs or fewer in six of his past seven starts. If this isn’t his last outing in a Giants uniform, he would be on track to make two more before the deadline.