David Villar hit two home runs, including a tiebreaking two-run shot in a four-run fourth inning, as the visiting San Francisco Giants topped the San Diego Padres 8-1 on Wednesday afternoon to finish the 2022 season 81-81.
Seven Giants pitchers combined for a four-hitter of the Padres.
The 89-73 Padres will fly to New York after the game to meet the Mets Friday night in the opener of a best-of-three wild card series.
It was a bullpen game for both teams as Craig Stammen started for the Padres after Mike Clevinger was scratched due to illness. John Brebbia served as the Giants opener for the 11th time this season and the second time in three days.
Brebbia gave up the Padres’ only run in the first on back-to-back doubles by Manny Machado and Jake Cronenworth. The Giants then took control as they scored five runs on six hits and three walks in three-plus innings off Stammen (1-2).
The Giants tied the score in the third on a single by LaMonte Wade Jr., a walk to J.D. Davis and a two-out single by Mike Yastrzemski for the first of his two RBIs.
Four straight Giants then reached base against Stammen to open the fourth. Brandon Crawford singled and scored on Villar’s eighth homer of the season to put San Francisco ahead 3-1. Ford Proctor then drew a walk and Joey Bart singled to drive Stammen from the game.
Wade greeted Nabil Crismatt with an RBI single that extended the lead to 4-1 and the Giants’ fifth run scored on a bases-loaded sacrifice fly by Yastrzemski.
The Giants next two runs came on solo homers — Austin Slater’s seventh of the season off Crismatt in the seventh and Villar’s second of the game and ninth of the season off Pierce Johnson leading off the eighth. Jason Vosler scored the final run in the ninth on Crawford’s sacrifice fly after drawing a leadoff walk and moving to third on Yastrzemski’s double.
Yunior Marte (1-1) was credited with the win as the seven Giants pitchers combined for 12 strikeouts.
Wednesday’s win snapped a seven-game losing streak for the Giants against the Padres, who won the season series 13-6. However, the Giants went 12-4 overall down the stretch to finish with a .500 record.
–Field Level Media
