Giants power past Padres for key win in doubleheader Game 1

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — San Diego pitcher Chris Paddack expected the San Francisco Giants to swing for the fences with their playoff hopes at stake.

That's exactly what happened.

Wilmer Flores hit a go-ahead homer in the fourth, Mike Yastrzemski returned from an injury to splash a two-run shot into McCovey Cove the same inning and the Giants beat the Padres 5-4 in the first game of a doubleheader Friday for a key victory in a crowded NL playoff race.

“A hungry team that’s trying to continue to make a little playoff run, I knew they were going to come into this game aggressive with a good game plan,” Paddack said.

The Padres clinched home-field advantage for the wild-card round next week with the Cardinals’ loss to Milwaukee in the first game of a doubleheader. San Diego secured the National League’s No. 4 seed headed to its first postseason in 14 years.

The Giants (29-28) bounced back — barely — after missing a key chance losing in 11 innings to Colorado on Thursday. Wild card-leading Cincinnati began the day 29-28 and was playing a night game at Minnesota.

Tyler Anderson (4-3) allowed five hits over six solid innings, striking out four and overcoming four walks. Tony Watson gave up an RBI single to Fernando Tatís Jr. in the seventh and made a throwing error past first baseman Brandon Belt for another run before Eric Hosmer's sacrifice fly.

The Padres were to be the home team in the second game, which is the makeup of a postponement in San Diego on Sept. 12 after Giants outfielder Alex Dickerson received a false positive COVID-19 test result.

Yastrzemski hit his second career splash hit homer in the bay, also doing so July 29 against the Padres.

Tommy Pham hit an RBI double in the second before Brandon Crawford’s homer off Paddack (4-5) tied it in the...

source https://www.chron.com/sports/article/Giants-power-past-Padres-for-key-win-in-15598636.php