SAN FRANCISCO - The Giants have spent most of this season behaving like a .500 team. After 104 games, they're right back at that mark.
The bullpen melted down late and the Giants fell 7-5 in the first of four games with the Wild Card-leading Milwaukee Brewers. They dropped to 52-52 on the season, and they're back at .500 for the first time since June 23.
The go-ahead rally came with a bad break for the Giants. With one out and a runner on first in the eighth, Travis Shaw hit a grounder that would have been a double-play ball had Brandon Crawford not been covering second with the runner going. Instead it turned into the first of three straight singles for the Brewers.
The Giants had the tying run on third in the bottom of the inning but Hunter Pence struck out to end the threat. In the ninth, the Brewers tacked on three insurance runs.
-- Dereck Rodriguez didn't appear to have his best stuff, but it didn't matter. The rookie gave up two runs on five hits in six innings, walking off the mound with a 2.75 ERA. The Brewers tried to jump on him early, but Rodriguez held tough in the first and allowed just one run. In the sixth, he opened with a hanging curveball that Christian Yelich smacked over the wall in center. Rodriguez has not allowed more than two runs in an appearance since June 19.
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-- Speaking of dominant rookies, Reyes Moronta struck out three in a scoreless seventh inning. Opposing hitters have just three hits in their last 40 at-bats against him.
-- In his first start since June 14, Evan Longoria singled in two at-bats against Wade Miley. Longoria entered with a .882 OPS against left-handed pitchers. The Giants certainly have missed him.
-- Making his first career start at first base, Austin Slater was tested right away. Lorenzo Cain hit a hard shot to first as the second batter of the game and Slater scooped it easily. He didn't have any issues until the eighth, when a hard hop ate him up. That one was ruled a base hit.
