The San Diego Padres kept the San Francisco Giants from claiming the National League West title for a second straight day with a 4-2 win on Saturday to take their tussle to the final game of the regular season.
The second-place Padres (90-71) survived a ninth-inning rally in which San Francisco, needing one win for their first divisional title and playoff appearance since 2003, had the tying runs on base, by turning a game-ending double play.
San Diego, seeking their first playoff berth in four years, trail the Giants (91-70) by one game and could have finished in a dead heat with them by completing a three-game road sweep of their climactic series yesterday.
Photo: AFP
The win also helped position San Diego for a shot at the wildcard post-season berth, as they moved into a tie with the Atlanta Braves, who lost 7-0 to the Philadelphia Phillies and slipped to 90-70.
“For me, I’ve been treating these games like they’re all playoff games,” said Padres shortstop Miguel Tejada, who turned the double-play that ended the game. “We can’t worry about who we might play. We can’t worry about tomorrow. We don’t have tomorrow.”
Closer Heath Bell, who pitched out of a jam he created to notch his 47th save, said: “We’ve had Game 7 for the last two days now. Tomorrow’s going to be Game 7 [again]. We’re going to put it all on the line.”
For the second game in a row, the Padres got on the scoreboard quickly against the Giants’ starting pitching, one of the strengths of the San Francisco team during the season.
Giants starter Barry Zito (9-14) lasted three-plus innings, giving up four runs on five hits and four walks.
“It’s tough,” Zito said. “Coming into the series, we knew we had to take one and now it’s coming down to the last game. Unfortunately, I couldn’t put it away today.”
Tim Stauffer, who has bounced between relief and starting pitching this season for the Padres, went six-and-one-third innings for the win, improving to 6-5 as he yielded three hits and one run.
The Padres took advantage of some erratic play by San Francisco. Zito allowed two runs in the first inning on bases-loaded walks and another run scored in the third on a throwing error by third baseman Pablo Sandoval.
Tejada singled in a run in the fourth to complete the scoring for San Diego.
San Diego led 4-1 going to the ninth and gave the ball yet again to closer Bell, for the fourth game in as many days.
Bell got the first out, but then allowed doubles to Pat Burrell and Juan Uribe and a single by Sandoval that put the score at 4-2 with men on first and third.
Pinch-hitter Jose Guillen then grounded to shortstop Tejada, who stepped on second and fired to first for the game-ending double play.
Saturday’s other NL results:
‧ Cards 1, Rockies 0, 11 innings
‧ Reds 7, Brewers 4
‧ Cubs 8, Astros 3
‧ Mets 7, Nationals 2
‧ Dodgers 3, Diamondbacks 2
‧ Marlins 2, Pirates 0
AP, BOSTON
The New York Yankees need to win on the road at arch rival Boston yesterday if they were to have a chance of winning the American League East division, after a split doubleheader between the teams on Saturday.
New York won the opener 6-5, but lost the night game 7-6 to the Red Sox, leaving the Yankees on a 95-66 record and tied with Tampa Bay with one game left to play.
New York must win at Boston and rely on the Rays losing at lowly Kansas City, otherwise Tampa Bay will take the AL East title by virtue of having won 10 of 18 games against the Yankees this season.
The division winner will get home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. The team left with the wild card opens the playoffs on Wednesday in Minnesota. The division winner hosts Texas.
In the opening game of the double-header, New York’s Brett Gardner raced home on an error in the 10th inning to give the visitors victory.
New York’s Phil Hughes (18-8) struck out two batters in a perfect ninth in his second relief outing of the year, keeping the score tied at 5-5. Mariano Rivera pitched the 10th for his 33rd save.
Boston pitcher Jonathan Papelbon (5-7) started the 10th by walking Gardner, who took second on a sacrifice. Derek Jeter hit a check-swing roller just past the pitcher’s reach, and second baseman Bill Hall tried to field it with his bare hand, but the ball got past him and Gardner scored.
In the night game, Boston’s Eric Patterson singled home the -winning run in the 10th inning. Bill Hall led off the inning with a double against Ivan Nova (1-2) and went to third on a sacrifice.
Boston’s Robert Manuel (1-0) got the win with two shutout innings.
Saturday’s other AL results:
‧ Twins 5, Blue Jays 4
‧ Rangers 6, Angels 2
‧ Rays 4, Royals 0
‧ Athletics 5, Mariners 3
‧ White Sox 6, Indians 2, 6 inns
‧ Orioles 2, Tigers 1
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