Logan Webb survived a pitchers’ duel with Blake Snell, Michael Conforto delivered a two-out, two-run single in the eighth inning and the host San Francisco Giants essentially dealt a lethal blow to the San Diego Padres’ postseason hopes with a 2-1 victory on Monday night.
By successfully rebounding from a 2-8 trip, the Giants (78-79) kept their longshot bid alive in the National League wild-card race, moving within 4 1/2 games of the Chicago Cubs and Arizona Diamondbacks, who hold the final two spots and are both 82-74.
In losing for just the second time in their past 11 games, the Padres (77-80) assured the best they can do is tie the Cubs, the Diamondbacks and possibly others in the wild-card race.
After Snell threw six shutout innings — his third consecutive scoreless start — the Giants finally broke through against Robert Suarez (4-3) in the eighth, loading the bases with one out on a LaMonte Wade Jr. walk, a Marco Luciano double and an intentional walk to Joc Pederson.
Suarez got a second out when Patrick Bailey grounded into a force play at the plate before Conforto drilled his go-ahead single to left field.
Webb (11-13) went the distance to get the win, giving up a first-inning run but no others. He allowed nine hits, striking out seven without issuing a walk.
The Padres threatened in the ninth when Juan Soto and Manny Machado singled to open the frame. But Webb then induced three straight ground balls, including one by Ji Man Choi that led to Soto being thrown out at the plate.
Machado drove in San Diego’s first-inning run, singling home Xander Bogaerts, who had led off the game with an infield single.
While he did not get a decision, Snell continued his late-season surge into the thick of the NL Cy Young Award race, allowing four hits and two walks in his six innings. He struck out seven.
The left-hander was 10-9 with a 2.73 ERA after a loss to the Miami Marlins on Aug. 22. Six starts later, he is 14-9 with a major-league-leading 2.25 ERA.
Austin Slater had a double and two singles for the Giants, who were outhit 9-7.
Bogaerts, Machado, Fernando Tatis Jr. and Brett Sullivan each had two hits for the Padres, whose only extra-base hit was a double by Tatis in the first inning.
–Field Level Media
