Giants, eliminated from division race, fall to Padres

[September 26, 2016]  SAN DIEGO -- Wil Myers' RBI single in the seventh inning lifted the San Diego Padres past the San Francisco Giants 4-3 Sunday afternoon.

But he's not the story, and that is straight from Myers.

"The play of the game was that triple by Manuel Margot," Myers said.

The Giants were eliminated from National League West race when the first-place Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Colorado Rockies minutes before San Francisco fell to the Padres.

San Francisco (82-74) still holds a half-game lead on St. Louis (81-74) for the second National League wild card after the Cardinals lost 3-1 to the Chicago Cubs on Sunday night. The New York Mets (83-73) are a game ahead of the Giants in the first wild-card position.

"So we're battling for the wild card," manager Bruce Bochy said. "Sure you're always disappointed you don't win your division but right now our focus is to keep trying to win games and get there and have a shot at it."

Myers drove in Margot, who was on base after his third hit of the game, a triple into the right-center gap. Myers tomahawked a grounder just inside the first base line to score Margot, who finished a homer shy of the second cycle in Padres history.

"As big as (Margot) smiles, he makes me smile," Padres manager Andy Green said.

Margot, a key piece in the offseason trade with the Boston Red Sox for closer Craig Kimbrel, did have a winning grin after his first three-hit day in the majors.

"It feels good and there's probably going to be many more to come," Margot said through a translator. "I'm proud of it."

The Padres have pride in their second-half showing against the Giants. After losing their first nine games to San Francisco this season, they turned the tables and went 8-2.

"That's baseball," Green said. "That's a real poor explanation, but that's baseball."

Brandon Morrow (1-0) pitched to three batters, retiring two, for the win.

Brad Hand recorded his first save after getting the final five outs.

Cory Gearrin (3-2) took the loss after giving up Myers' run-scoring single.

Both starters were gone by the seventh.

Padres starter Clayton Richard went six innings and allowed three runs (two earned) on five hits. He walked three and struck out one.

The Giants, with Johnny Cueto missing his rotation turn due to a groin injury, used seven pitchers. Ty Blach, in his first major league start, worked three innings and gave up two runs.

Padres first baseman Wil Myers (L) steals second as San Francisco Giants shortstop Brandon Crawford (R) cannot handle the throw at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

"I just didn't execute as many pitches there in the first," Blach said. "The pitch count just got away from me there."

San Francisco had the go-ahead run in scoring position with one out in top of the seventh, but pinch runner Gregor Blanco was stranded at second when Kelby Tomlinson popped up and Buster Posey grounded out.

The Padres (66-90) left the bases loaded in the first, then went ahead 1-0 in the second when Margot drove in Austin Hedges with a crisp single up the middle. Hedges was aboard on a single before working his way around to third.

San Francisco produced a three-run third, thanks to some help from the Padres.

Trevor Brown opened with a single, and Blach tried to sacrifice him to second. Hedges, the San Diego catcher, collected Blach's bunt in front of the plate and heaved it into center field for a throwing error. Brown scored on Tomlinson's grounder, and Posey followed with a two-run double for a 3-1 edge.

Adam Rosales pulled the Padres to within 3-2 with his 13th homer, a solo shot in the third. Rosales went the opposite way on Blach's 91 mph fastball.

George Kontos, the Giants' third pitcher, surrendered the lead in the fifth when Yangervis Solarte chased in Myers, who had walked for the second time, tying the score at 3.

NOTES: Padres 3B Yangervis Solarte was back in the starting lineup on Sunday, one day after returning to the club following the death of his wife. ... RHP Jarred Cosart was to visit with the team's medical staff after bone spurs in his right elbow limited him to one inning on Saturday. ... Giants RHP Johnny Cueto (groin) was unable to make his Sunday start and was replaced by rookie Ty Blach. ... SS Brandon Crawford (finger) returned to the San Francisco lineup after missing four games.

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