The San Francisco Giants' struggles continued Wednesday afternoon as they dropped a 5-1 decision to the San Diego Padres, losing the series and extending a painful stretch that has seen them lose eight of their last nine games.

On a day when the bats went cold, the Giants managed just three hits while striking out 13 times. It's a frustrating trend for a team that simply can't seem to find its rhythm at the plate.

But not all was lost. Veteran right-hander Adrian Houser turned in arguably his best start since joining the Giants. Over six-plus innings, he held the Padres to just three hits and two runs—only one earned. After surrendering a solo home run in the fourth, Houser settled in nicely, keeping the game knotted up as the innings ticked by.

The Giants briefly sparked hope when Rafael Devers launched an opposite-field solo shot, his third home run of the season and first since April 8, tying the game at 1-1. That moment of promise, however, quickly faded.

The turning point came in the seventh inning. A defensive miscue by Matt Chapman allowed the leadoff batter to reach, forcing the Giants to turn to Keaton Winn from the bullpen. With two outs and runners in scoring position, left-hander Matt Gage entered but couldn't escape unscathed. A two-run triple down the right-field line broke the tie and put the Padres ahead for good.

Compounding matters, rookie Jesús Rodríguez, primarily a catcher throughout his professional career, was playing outfield and struggled on the play.

The Giants' bullpen surrendered more insurance runs in the eighth, widening the gap to a margin too large for an offense that simply couldn't get going. Houser's strong start was overshadowed by a lineup that remains in search of answers.