(© Robert Edwards-Imagn Images)

Following Wednesday’s 4-0 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers, San Francisco Giants manager Tony Vitello addressed the club’s costly baserunning mistake while continuing to back the aggressive mentality his team plays with.

Vitello explained postgame that the confusion appeared to stem from a misread regarding the number of outs in the seventh inning during a key moment late in the game.

“My understanding is just a misread on the outs,” Vitello said. “At that point we’re trying to come back and there’s no sense on dwelling on it.”

The Giants manager avoided placing direct blame on Willy Adames, instead pointing to the intensity and energy he consistently brings to the field.

“We all know Willy,” Vitello said. “He’s always intense. He’s always going to play with high energy. He’s always going to play aggressive.”

Vitello added that while the mistake stood out, the Giants did not lose solely because of one play. He also noted the organization has spent extensive time working on baserunning fundamentals since Spring Training.

“I think on the whole, the baserunning thing is something we addressed in spring training,” Vitello said. “It was an area we wanted to improve on from last year.”

Even with the frustrating moment, Vitello emphasized the importance of continuing to improve as the season progresses rather than overreacting to a single mistake.

“Some mistakes come, and we need to correct mistakes so that as the season goes forward, there’s fewer and fewer mistakes,” Vitello said.

Vitello also praised the effort and work ethic of Adames, specifically mentioning the determination shown while battling through offensive struggles earlier this season.

“He showed up every day at the park and was on a mission to work on his game,” Vitello said. “He worked really hard to get to the point where he is now.”

Video courtesy of NBC Sports Bay Area

On the pitching side, Vitello still believed Robbie Ray competed despite not having his sharpest outing of the season. He credited the Dodgers' lineup for producing quality at-bats throughout the night.