Giants Bullpen Struggles Again; Playoff Hopes Slipping Away
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Fernando Tatis Jr. hit his 17th home run and the San Diego Padres beat San Francisco 6-2 on Saturday night, leaving the Giants in need of help to make the playoffs.
San Francisco fell to 29-30 and is tied with Milwaukee for the final NL playoff spot. The Brewers hold the tiebreaker, which means the Giants need to beat San Diego on Sunday and Milwaukee needs to lose to St. Louis for San Francisco to reach the playoffs for the first time since 2016.
Tommy Pham and Mitch Moreland also went deep for the playoff-bound Padres, who are 7-2 against the Giants this season.
Tatis homered on the first pitch in the fourth from Johnny Cueto (2-3), a 424-foot drive into the left field stands. Tatis hit a 458-foot blast on Friday night, the second longest of his career.
Pham and Moreland homered on back-to-back pitches from Tony Watson in the ninth.
Brandon Belt had two hits and an RBI for the Giants.
San Francisco scored twice in the eighth after loading the bases but Dan Altavilla got Evan Longoria to strike out swinging with two on to end the inning.
Craig Stammen (4-2) worked two scoreless innings in relief of starter Zach Davies, who allowed three hits in three innings.
The third hit allowed by Davies was bizarre. With one out in the third, Mike Yastrzemski hit a high popup in front of the plate and Davies walked slowly off the mound as the ball was in the air. No one appeared to call for the ball as it dropped between four Padres.
Cueto allowed three runs and five hits in 6 1/3 innings and is winless in his last three starts.
HEADS UP, JOHNNY
Cueto dropped to the mound after he appeared to get hit in the head by a ball thrown back by catcher Tyler Heineman in the sixth. Cueto struck out Manny Machado and turned his back when Heienman's throw grazed the pitcher's dreadlocks hanging from beneath his cap. Cueto went down and was on the ground for a few moments but stayed in the game.
GIANTS RELEASE SAMARDZIJA
San Francisco released veteran right-hander Jeff Samardzija, a day after he returned from a lengthy shoulder injury and rehab. The 35-year-old pitcher signed a $90 million, five-year contract with San Francisco in December 2015 but spent much of his Giants tenure sidelined by injuries. Samardzija said he plans to pitch in 2021.
EX-GIANT PENCE RETIRES
Four-time All-Star outfielder Hunter Pence announced his retirement Saturday following 14 major league seasons. The 37-year-old Pence posted on Twitter: "Nothing can really prepare you for this part of your career when you have to say: I am retiring from baseball. Forever thankful and Gr8ful." A career .279 hitter, Pence had 244 home runs and 942 RBIs playing for Houston, Philadelphia, San Francisco and Texas. The Giants released him last month.
YAZ AND WILLIE MAC
Yastrzemski was presented with the 2020 Willie Mac Award before the game. The annual award, named after Hall of Famer Willie McCovey, is given to the team's most inspirational player following a vote of Giants players, coaches, training staff and fans.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Padres: Manager Jayce Tingler said RHP Dinelson Lamet, who came out of Friday's game with biceps tightness, was feeling better and the team was encouraged that he would be able to start the wild-card series opener Wednesday night at Petco Park. "That would be ideal. We've still got a ways to go there but that's kind of where everybody's heads are at right now," Tingler said. … The manager said RHP Mike Clevinger, who has an elbow impingement, played catch Saturday and the feedback was positive. The team isn't sure when he'll be ready to start. Clevinger came out of Wednesday's start after just one inning and received a cortisone shot on Friday.
Giants: RHP Sam Coonrod was placed on the 10-day injured list with a right shoulder strain. RHP Rico Garcia was recalled from the alternate training site.
