San Francisco, CA (Sports Network) - Jonathan Sanchez and five relievers combined on a four-hit shutout and the San Francisco Giants captured the NL West title with a 3-0 win over the Padres, eliminating San Diego from playoff contention on the final day of the regular season.
In Progress: Padres, Giants Meet In Critical Showdown
The Giants lost the first two games of this season-concluding series, but are now in the playoffs for the first time since 2003 when they won the NL West. They'll host the Atlanta Braves on Thursday at 9:37 p.m. (et) in the opener of that Division Series. NL East winner Philadelphia is set to battle NL Central champion Cincinnati in the other first-round best-of-five series.
Sanchez tripled and scored the game's first run, and Buster Posey put the exclamation point on the win with a lead-off homer in the eighth inning.
Atlanta's 8-7 home win over the Phillies earlier Sunday put the Braves a half- game ahead of the Padres in the race for the wild card spot. The Padres, who entered the day also a game behind the Giants in the division, could have forced a three-way tie for the final two postseason spots, but instead were kept on the outside for a fourth straight year.
The Padres (90-72) were ahead by 6 1/2 games on August 25, but then endured a 10-game skid as the Giants (92-70) got back in the race. San Francisco eventually carried a three-game lead into this weekend, but lost 6-4 on Friday and 4-2 on Saturday to set up the dramatic conclusion.
Brian Wilson pitched the final inning for his 48th save as the Giants gave their orange-clad fans a big celebration. Wilson, who tied Rod Beck's single- season save record set in 1993, fanned Will Venable to end the game. The Giants then mobbed the mound.
Sanchez (13-9) allowed three hits and five walks, while fanning five over five-plus frames. Santiago Casilla benefited from a double play in the sixth and pitched through the seventh.
Mat Latos (14-10) lost his final five starts of the year, including Sunday when he allowed eight hits and two runs through six frames.
The Padres wasted chances with at least one runner in scoring position in the each of the first three innings. In the third, with men on the corners, Ryan Ludwick fanned for the final out.
In the bottom of the inning, Sanchez tripled to center with one out, and with two down Freddy Sanchez lined a single up the middle. Aubrey Huff followed with a double to center, just beyond a diving Chris Denorfia.
The Padres put two runners on base in the seventh. It became first and second when Casilla's error allowed David Eckstein to reach base. But Ramon Ramirez entered from the bullpen and got Miguel Tejada to swing through a 3-2 slider for the final out.
Javier Lopez retired the side in order in the eighth before Wilson did the same in the ninth.
The Giants went 9-1 in their final game of the series during the month of September/October including wins in each of their last seven contests...Sanchez has posted a 1.03 ERA in his last seven starts...Beginning with the 2000 campaign, the Giants have posted a 10-1 record on the final day of the regular season, outscoring opposition 69-19 in that stretch...The Padres won the season series, 12-6, going 7-2 at AT&T Park.
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