|
 Warming up for the playoffs, the San Francisco Giants earned a
second consecutive win Sunday, getting a two-run home run from Posey
in a 9-3 victory over the San Diego Padres.
The Giants will play in the National League wild-card game Wednesday
night against the Pittsburgh Pirates. The single-elimination game at
Pittsburgh's PNC Park has been scheduled to start at 8:07 p.m. ET.
"I watched the wild-card game (on television) last year," Posey said
of Pittsburgh's 6-2 home win over the Cincinnati Reds. "I'm looking
forward to it. It's probably one of the best environments we're
going to play in. We look forward to the challenge."
San Francisco (88-74) finished second in the National League West,
six games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers (94-68). The Giants had the
same record as the Pirates (88-74), but Pittsburgh earned the
home-field advantage for the wild-card game by virtue of a 4-2 edge
over San Francisco in the season series.
 "We've got confidence," said Giants second baseman Joe Panik, who
contributed two hits and an RBI to Sunday's
regular-season-concluding win. "We've got our horse (left-hander
Madison Bumgarner) going. When he's on the mound, we've very
confident wherever we play."
The Padres (77-85) ended their season in third place in the NL West,
17 games behind the Dodgers and 11 back of the second-place Giants.
Sunday's loss was San Diego's 52nd of the season on the road, the
second-most in all of the majors.
"I wish I could answer that one," Padres manager Bud Black said of
the team's road woes. "No doubt, we've got to play better on the
road (next season). And play just as well at home."
Posey, who hadn't played the Giants' previous two games after
experiencing soreness in his back Thursday night, got San Francisco
even in the bottom of the first after the Padres scored twice in the
top of the inning.
The two-run shot to left field off Padres left-hander Robbie Erlin,
Posey's team-leading 22nd of the season, also scored center fielder
Gregor Blanco, who led off with a single.
"It felt good," Posey said. "I'm tired, like a lot of people. But I
would have been fine to play in the two games I sat out."
Blanco put the Giants ahead for good with a sacrifice fly in the
second inning, scoring first baseman Brandon Belt. When Panik
followed with an RBI single that plated shortstop Brandon Crawford
to make it 4-2, Erlin (4-5) was pulled from the game.
The Giants benched middle-of-the-order sluggers Posey, right fielder
Hunter Pence, third baseman Pablo Sandoval and first baseman Brandon
Belt in the middle of the game, but that didn't stop the club from
matching its highest run total since Sept. 2.
Pinch-hitter Adam Duvall smacked a solo home run, his third, in the
fourth inning, and the Giants busted the game open with a four-run
seventh that featured a two-run double by another backup, third
baseman Joaquin Arias.
"We're hitting well," Posey said. "We need to sustain that
momentum."
[to top of second column] |
Right-hander Tim Lincecum (12-9) earned his second win of the series
and 18th in his career over the Padres with two scoreless innings of
one-hit relief. Lincecum, who probably will not be on the Giants'
postseason roster, finished the regular season No. 2 on the club in
wins, trailing only wild-card starter Bumgarner (18-10).
Giants starter Chris Heston gave up all three Padres runs during his
four-inning stint. In the first start of his major league career,
Heston surrendered six hits and two walks. He struck out two.
The first four Padres to face Heston got hits. Third baseman Cory
Spangenberg drove in San Diego's first run with a single, then
scored the second on a sacrifice fly by left fielder Seth Smith.
"It's a good thing he gets off on the right foot," Black said of
Spangenberg, who was promoted from Double-A in August and hit .290
for the Padres. "This is good for him to come here and show what he
can do in front of us and in front of his teammates."
Spangenberg also scored the Padres' third run after his second hit
in the third inning. First baseman Yasmani Grandal drove him in with
a single.
Making just his third start since missing 75 games with an elbow
injury, Erlin gave up four runs on four hits and two walks in 1 2/3
innings. He struck out one.
The Giants' 13 hits were spread out among 12 batters. Only Panik
recorded more than one hit; his 2-for-5 day allowed him to finish
his rookie season with a .305 average.
Spangenberg, Grandal and second baseman Jedd Gyorko combined for six
of San Diego's seven hits.
NOTES: The Giants learned of their wild-card opponent, the
Pittsburgh Pirates, just minutes before game time. They are
expecting to face Pirates RHP Edinson Volquez in the elimination
game Wednesday. ... The Giants reached 88 games in wins for the
fourth time in the last eight seasons. ... Giants manager Bruce
Bochy announced before the game that 1B/OF Travis Ishikawa, who made
his third career start in left field Sunday, would be the team's
starter in left field Wednesday. ... The Padres finished with the
second-worst road record in all of baseball (29-52) despite having a
better overall mark than 10 teams. ... The Padres' 77 wins were one
more than last season.
[© 2014 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
Copyright 2014 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. |
