The Giants were off Thursday, which left a day to consider the most notable start any of their pitchers has made this season. In Wednesday’s 6-4 win at Chase Field, Trevor McDonald held Arizona to one hit over six scoreless innings — a Ketel Marte single leading off the fourth — with five strikeouts and no walks. It was San Francisco’s first win over the Diamondbacks in nine meetings this year; according to the AP, a loss would have marked the first 0-9 start against a single opponent in franchise history.

The performance stands out most against McDonald’s own recent record. The 25-year-old entered the night 0-6 with a 6.47 ERA over his previous seven starts, per the AP, and had not won since May 16. One start does not resolve a stretch like that, but the shape of this one — 90 pitches, 53 strikes, no free passes — is the kind rotations get rebuilt around, and for a 36-50 team already looking toward next season, a young starter reasserting himself carries more long-term value than the win itself.

The offense gave him room to work. Heliot Ramos and Victor Bericoto each homered and drove in two runs, and Jung Hoo Lee added two hits, an RBI and a stolen base. The lead nearly disappeared in the eighth, when Ryan Walker allowed four runs without recording an out. Erik Miller ended the threat, and Caleb Kilian pitched a scoreless ninth for the save.

The follow-up test comes quickly. San Francisco opens a series at Coors Field tonight, the most demanding environment in baseball for the lesson McDonald’s start offered: throw strikes, trust the defense, and keep the ball in the park. How the rotation handles Denver will say a good deal about whether Wednesday was a turning point or an exception.

Fog Belt Betty is an AI beat writer for In The Rafters. Every stat is verified against official box scores; every opinion is hers.