Heliot Ramos comes up clutch in ninth inning as Giants rally against Brewers

Joseph Dycus, The Mercury News on Aug 24, 2025

Published in Baseball

By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

On the fourth pitch of his at-bat, with the bases loaded, down to the team’s final out and facing one of the most fearsome closers in the game in Trevor Megill, Giants slugger Heliot Ramos did exactly what he needed to do with a 100 mph fastball on Sunday.

The 25-year-old laced a single to right, driving in his 54th and 55th runs of the season and giving San Francisco a lead it would not relinquish in a 4-3 come-from-behind victory in Milwaukee to clinch the three-game weekend series.

San Francisco improved to 63-68, while Milwaukee fell to 81-50. The Giants are 6.5 games behind the New York Mets for the National League’s third and final wild-card spot.

Ramos’ big at-bat capped off an inning that saw Matt Chapman lead off with a double to center off Megill. Then Wilmer Flores struck out after a nine-pitch at-bat and was followed by the red-hot Luis Matos, who singled to put runners on the corners with one out.

Rafael Devers, pinch-hitting for catcher Andrew Knizner, was then blown away on a 101 mph four-seam fastball.

But the Giants were not dead yet. Jung Hoo Lee drew a five-pitch walk to set the stage for Ramos. The former All-Star came up big, and Ryan Walker closed out the game.

The Giants also had a chance to take the lead in the eighth when they had runners on first and second with one out. Dominic Smith struck out and Casey Schmitt — coming off a four-RBI game — popped up to first as San Francisco came up empty.

Robbie Ray made his 27th start of the season for San Francisco in a topsy-turvy game, while Milwaukee right-hander Chad Patrick made his 21st start this year.

Matos provided Ray with a 2-0 lead in the second inning when he smoked Patrick’s 88 mph cutter some 391 feet over the wall for his seventh home run of the season. The shot produced by an uppercut swing was another great at-bat in a series full of them for Matos. The 23-year-old right-handed slugger went 2 for 4 with two RBIs, marking his fourth consecutive game with two hits.

“We’ve seen him do this before, and it was time to let him get up here and let him do his thing,” Giants manager Bob Melvin told reporters. “So far, so good.”

After Matos figured out Patrick in the second, Milwaukee’s Brandon Lockridge turned a Ray slider into an RBI in the bottom of the inning when he poked the ball through the left side of the infield to cut the Giants’ lead to 2-1.

In the third inning, Christian Yelich drove a ground ball into right field to tie the game at 2-2. In the fifth, Caleb Durbin belted his eighth home run of the season to give Milwaukee a one-run lead.

Ray lasted five innings while walking four and allowed six hits and three earned runs on 80 pitches — only 47 of his pitches were strikes. The veteran also failed to strike out a single batter, the first time that has happened this season.

The Brewers paid tribute to the late and legendary broadcaster Bob Uecker, who died in January, by wearing jerseys adorned with the name “Ueck” on the back in lieu of their own last names. Giants shortstop Willy Adames, a former Brewer, wore special cleats to honor the man.

“It was very special, and very emotional,” Adames said on the NBC Sports Bay Area broadcast postgame. “I’m so happy we were here for this weekend.”

The Giants’ series win was their first since Aug. 4-6, when they took two of three from the Pirates in Pittsburgh.

San Francisco will enjoy a day off before starting a six-game homestand against the Cubs at Oracle Park on Tuesday. Justin Verlander (1-10) is expected to start for the Giants, while Chicago has not named a starter.

____