Padres close gap in NL West with 4–1 win over Giants
SAN FRANCISCO (KYMA, KECY) - The Padres are making the NL West race interesting and Monday night in San Francisco was another step in the chase.
San Diego picked up its third straight win with a 4–1 victory over the Giants at Oracle Park, riding a strong start from Yu Darvish and timely hitting late in the game.
Darvish, making just his seventh start of the season after missing over three months with elbow trouble, was sharp. The veteran right-hander tossed six innings, giving up just one run on four hits while striking out six and walking none.
The game was tied 1–1 in the seventh when Gavin Sheets ripped a leadoff double. Pinch-runner Bryce Johnson came around to score the go-ahead run on a Jake Cronenworth RBI single.
Moments later, catcher Freddy Fermin delivered the knockout blow, a two-run homer off Giants ace Logan Webb, his first long ball since joining the Padres.
Jackson Merrill had a big night at the plate, going 3-for-4 with an RBI double that opened the scoring in the sixth. Robert Suarez shut the door in the ninth for his MLB-leading 33rd save.
With the win, the Padres have now taken 12 of their last 15 games, pulling within just one game of the Dodgers for first place in the NL West. Monday marked the start of a critical 13-game stretch entirely against division opponents.
San Diego and San Francisco meet again Tuesday night, with left-hander Nestor Cortes getting the ball against Giants southpaw Robbie Ray, who's looking to snap a six-start winless streak.
