SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The San Francisco Giants missed a chance to clinch the NL West on their own field, falling to the San Diego Padres 3-2 when Jake Cronenworth hit an RBI double in the 10th inning Saturday.
A sellout crowd of 40,760 was ready to celebrate San Francisco’s first division crown since 2012, but the Padres spoiled the party, sending the raucous group to the exits in a state of disbelief.
READ MORE: Thousands Rally for Abortion Rights at Women’s March in San Francisco
The Giants’ seven-game winning streak ended, but they still had an opportunity to win the West hours later — a loss by the second-place Los Angeles Dodgers to Milwaukee would give San Francisco the crown.
If the Dodgers win, it would keep the Giants’ magic number at one and force the race to the final day of the regular season. San Francisco started Saturday with a two-game lead over Los Angeles.
With runners on the corners and two outs in the top of the 10th, Cronenworth lined a double to right off Jarlin García to give San Diego its first lead of the game.
Mark Melancon retired the Giants in order in the bottom half to earn his major league-leading 39th save of the season. Tim Hill (6-6) got the win.
Manny Machado drove in two runs for the Padres, who snapped a seven-game losing streak.
Giants Austin Slater is congratulated by third base coach Ron Wotus after Slater hit a pinch-hit solo home run against the Padres in the bottom of the sixth inning at Oracle Park Oct. 2, 2021. (Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
Austin Slater had a pinch-hit homer for the Giants.
Kris Bryant singled home Brandon Crawford in the second inning to give San Francisco an early 1-0 lead.
The Padres tied it at 1 in the sixth on an RBI single by Machado, but the Giants immediately regained the lead in the bottom half on Slater’s 12th home run.
San Diego tied it at 2 in the eighth on a sacrifice fly by Machado.
Kervin Castro (1-1) was charged with the loss for San Francisco.
READ MORE: Bay Area Spare the Air Alert Extended Through Sunday
PINCH-HIT RECORD
Slater’s drive marked the Giants’ 18th pinch-hit homer of the season, setting an MLB record. It was Slater’s fourth pinch-hit home run of the year, tying the franchise record.
FOR STARTERS
Giants starter Kevin Gausman fanned five in seven stellar innings, allowing just one run on six hits. San Diego’s Joe Musgrove gave up one run on three hits in five innings, striking out four.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Padres: RHP Yu Darvish is optimistic about his offseason recovery from a left hip impingement that landed him on the 10-day injured list Thursday. “I don’t think it’s that bad,” Darvish said through an interpreter. “Moving forward, it will be some rest, and after that, it will be some rehab. I’ll be doing that once we hit the offseason with the guys in the training room.”
Giants: Closer Jake McGee (right oblique strain) was reinstated from the 10-day IL. The left-hander has recorded 31 saves in 36 opportunities this season.
ROSTER MOVES
Padres: Optioned RHP Pedro Avila to Triple-A El Paso and recalled RHP James Norwood.
Giants: Optioned INF Thairo Estrada to Triple-A Sacramento.
UP NEXT
Giants RHP Logan Webb (10-3, 2.93 ERA) looks for his 10th straight win in Sunday’s regular-season finale against the Padres, who have not yet named their starter.
MORE NEWS: Tesla Surprises Wall Street With Higher Sales Despite Chip Shortage
© Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed