Yaz homers Playoff-hopeful Giants past Padres

Yastrzemski homers Playoff-hopeful Giants past Padres

Mike Yastrzemski #5 of the San Francisco Giants hits his solo homerun during the fifth inning of a game against the San Diego Padres at PETCO Park on August 31, 2023 in San Diego, California.Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images

2023.08.31 – Mike Yastrzemski homered and drove in two runs for the San Francisco Giants in a 7-2 victory over the San Diego Padres that opened a one-game lead over Arizona for the NL’s third wild-card spot.

Jakob Junis and three relievers combined on a seven-hitter. The Giants were up 7-0 before the Padres got their first hit, a single by Matthew Batten with two outs in the fifth off former Padres pitcher Sean Manaea (5-5).

Junis struck out three and walked one in four hitless, scoreless innings. Manaea allowed one run and three hits in 3 1/3 innings, while walking five and striking out two. He loaded the bases with two outs in the sixth but the Padres failed to score.

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2023.08.31 (SF Giants vs. SD Padres) See Full Highlights

J.D. Davis #7 congratulates Mike Yastrzemski #5 of the San Francisco Giants after his solo homerun during the fifth inning of a game against the San Diego Padres at PETCO Park on August 31, 2023 in San Diego, California.Sean M. Haffey/Getty

2023.08.31 (SF Giants vs. SD Padres) See Full Highlights

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2023.08.31 (SF Giants vs. SD Padres) See Full Highlights

“That was about all Jake was ready for today,” manager Gabe Kapler said. “That was a good workload for Junis. He pitched great, obviously. The slider was really working.”

Junis said “having three pitches and mixing the changeup in there has been really beneficial for me. Limit the damage. Keeping the ball in the ballpark. I was giving up some home runs earlier in the year when I was going through tough stretches. Pounding the zone and doing what I do and attacking guys and good things are happening.”

Yastrzemski had an RBI single in the third, when the Giants scored six runs, five of them unearned due to two errors by first baseman Matthew Batten. The Padres had three errors overall, tying their season high.

The Giants sent 10 batters to the plate in the third and had five hits and a sacrifice fly to go along with Batten’s two errors. Blake Sabol had an RBI double while Joc Pederson, Yastrzemski and Wade Meckler had run-scoring singles.

“It seemed like there was a little lack of energy. You could kind of see on the other side,” said Giants right fielder Mike Yastrzemski, who homered Thursday in his second game since being activated from the injured list. “I don’t really have a better way to say it. It didn’t seem like they were playing their best, and we were able to take advantage of some of the mistakes. It was nice to get one that under the belt.”

2023.08.31 – SF Giants vs. SD Padres (95.7 the game – Post Recap)

San Diego Padres’ Pedro Avila, center, trying to beat Giants Wade Mekler, left to first base during the third inning of a baseball game against the San Francisco Giants, Thursday, Aug. 31, 2023, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

2023.08.31 – SF Giants vs. SD Padres (95.7 the game – Post Recap)

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2023.08.31 – SF Giants vs. SD Padres (95.7 the game – Post Recap)

The Padres’ offense wasn’t all that good, either. San Diego was hitless in starter Jakob Junis’ four innings and spent much of the night stranding runners. The Padres’ first hit was by Matthew Batten, of all people. It was the first baseman’s two errors in the third inning that helped the Giants gain a comfortable lead.

“Big innings are just so critical to winning baseball games,” Kapler said. “One-run innings are good, two-run innings are good, but you put up those crooked numbers and it makes it very difficult to come back. You get a little cushion, it gives a little confidence to the pitcher and then they go through the innings a little easier.”

Yastrzemski homered to left off Matt Waldron leading off the fifth for a 7-0 lead. It was his 12th.

The Padres were coming off a 1-5 trip through Milwaukee and St. Louis that badly damaged whatever hopes they have of returning to the playoffs. The Padres have been a massive disappointment after reaching the NL Championship Series last year and then beefing up their payroll to about $250 million, the third-highest in the majors. They are 8 1/2 games out of the final wild-card spot.

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2023.08.31 – SF Giants vs. SD Padres (Locked On – post game)

San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Jakob Junis works against a San Diego Padres batter during the first inning of a baseball game Thursday, Aug. 31, 2023, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

2023.08.31 – SF Giants vs. SD Padres (Locked On – post game)

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2023.08.31 – SF Giants vs. SD Padres (Locked On – post game)

Padres starter Pedro Avila (0-2) allowed six runs, one earned, on six hits in three innings. He struck out five and walked two.

For Giants Casey Schmitt, the pride of San Diego State who grew up here a Padres fan and played his first game at Petco Park since he appeared in an exhibition with Eastlake High School in nearby Chula Vista. Many family members and friends were among the announced crowd of 36,639.

“It was really cool just because I came to games here when I was a little kid,” Schmitt said. “It was a special moment.”

After going 12-15 in August, their worst month of the season, the Giants are hoping for a prosperous September.

“Understanding that each game matters and if you have a chance to beat somebody, you better do it,” Yastrzemski said. “We’ve got to play our best, and I think we’re only going to do that if we enjoy the moment. We have a good opportunity in front of us.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Padres: RHP Yu Darvish has a bone spur in his pitching elbow and had a cortisone shot Thursday. He’ll rest for three to five days and the Padres should have a better idea after that where he stands, manager Bob Melvin said. Darvish was placed on the 15-day IL Monday, retroactive to Saturday. “There’s some relief in the sense that there’s nothing going on with the ligament,” Darvish said through an interpreter.