SAN FRANCISCO — The San Francisco Giants beat the Minnesota Twins 5-2 Monday night, getting a three-hit, three-RBI night from Drew Gilbert and a hit and stolen base from Bo Davidson in his big-league debut, but lost starter Blade Tidwell to injury in a familiar frustrating turn in a difficult 2026 season.
Tidwell, who earned his first win of the season Tuesday in St. Louis, exited in the fourth inning with elbow discomfort one batter after allowing a solo home run to Brooks Lee that just cleared the wall in right. Lee's homer was his 24th of the year. Tristan Beck relieved Tidwell and retired all eight batters he faced to earn his first win of the season and lower his ERA below 6.00, while Trent Harris worked a perfect ninth for his second save, moving into a tie for fifth among Giants closers this season on a team with 30 saves total.
San Francisco jumped ahead early behind its young outfield. Gilbert legged out an infield hit and Davidson lined a single to right on the ninth pitch of his first major league at-bat, stole second and scored on Brett Harris' two-run single — Harris' first two RBIs of the season in his ninth game with San Francisco and 13th overall. In the second, Osleivis Basabe started a rally with an infield single, Christian Koss doubled to snap an 0-for-10 skid, and Gilbert lined a two-run single over a drawn-in infield. Gilbert added his 11th home run leading off the fifth against Twins starter Zebby Matthews. He is slashing .238/.339/.427 since the All-Star break and .265/.365/.530 when leading off an inning.
Jonah Cox continued to show plus defense at both second base and center field in the victory. Marcelo Mayer, acquired in the Erik Miller trade, made his Giants debut and struck out in all four at-bats for a Golden Sombrero, the first three on 3-2 pitches. Former Giant Taylor Rogers tossed 1.1 scoreless innings in relief for Minnesota and became the first Twins pitcher to retire Gilbert, while his twin brother Tyler allowed a game-winning two-run homer to Pete Alonso that hurt Toronto's slim playoff hopes on the same night. Duane Kuiper later texted Mike Krukow that his call of Gilbert's homer was the "Worst home run call I've ever heard," with Krukow joking the call was so stressful he may have wet his pants a little. Five games remain.