SD 6, SF 4: The Padres continue to exact revenge against the Giants

If there's one thing the Padres are doing in mid-September, it's ruining the day of Giants fans across the world. Today, San Francisco thought they would be able to close the division lead the Dodgers are currently holding over them with a game two win against the Padres. They were about to do that, too. Until the 9th inning.

After a stellar start from Clayton Richard against the Rockies, the Giants proved to be a bit of a tougher task. In a little over five innings, SF had 11 hits against Clayton. They tallied three earned runs against him, one of them an Angel Pagan solo HR. They were a triple short of a team cycle against Richard, but the Pads were still very much still in the game by the time Richard was out.

Other than a single run off Jose Dominguez immediately after Richard exited, the Padres bullpen totally clamped down on the Giants offense. The same effectiveness can not be said about the bad guys in orange.

Albert Suarez was throwing pretty well against the Padres today. The only run he gave up was an RBI-single that Luis Sardinas managed to reach down and smack into opposite field in the top of the third. Derek Norris scored easily while Pagan spun and attempted to hit his relay man like a crazed gum-spitting psychopath.

Not a single run was scored by the Padres for the next 5 innings. Then the 9th inning arrived, and it was showtime.

With the bases loaded, one out, and down by three, Wil Myers came to the plate: Ball-ball-foul-ball-ball. Myers' patience cut the Giants lead in half. Following him, Yangervis Solarte popped a grounder back to the mound, luckily avoiding the double play and scoring another run. The Padres were now down to their final out and were only behind by one.

Then Ryan Schimpf came up to bat.

With Steve Okert at the mound, Schimpf worked up a 1-2 count. Giants fans rose to their feet and began the customary "we're about to win as soon as he gets this guy out!" cheer. Schimpf wasn't planning on being that out, so he smashes a 93 MPH fastball into the first row of the right-center bleachers.

The collective "aww" followed by the deflated "oh.." signaled most fans to stay standing, turn around, and promptly leave the ballpark. The Padres were now up 6-4, the and Okert blew the game.

Kevin Quackenbush came in to show AT&T what a scoreless half of a 9th inning looks like, and the Friars handed the Giants their 5th straight loss to the Padres.