Defense rules in defeat over Giants
SAN FRANCISCO » The Giants will look back at several missed chances over the final week that cost thema playoff berth that was right there for the taking.
San Francisco had its postseason hopes dashed on the final day of the regular season, losing 5- 4 to the playoff-bound San Diego Padres on Sunday.
“We kind of controlled our own destiny this past week. We just needed to win another game or two the last couple series to get in,” shortstop Brandon Crawford said. “We played great I think the last six or eightweeks. Tonot take the opportunity towin a couple of these last games and get into the playoffs, it definitely hurts.”
San Francisco finished 29-31 under first-year manager Gabe Kapler, beginning the day tied with Milwaukee for the final NL playoff spot. The Brewers hold the tiebreaker, which meant the Giants needed to win and haveMilwaukee lose at St. Louis — the Brewers did their part but the Gi
ants couldn’t.
“We just didn’t play good enough baseball,” Kapler said. “... It stings, right?”
Now, the Giants’ drought reaches four years since they lost a four- game division series in 2016 to the eventual World Series champion Cubs. The Giants — World Series winners in 2010, ‘12 and ‘14— will look back to costly losses in the final stretch, most notably Thursday’s 5- 4, 11-inning defeat at home to the Rockies then 6-5 to the Padres in Game 2 of Friday’s doubleheader.
CARDINALS 5, BREWERS 2 » Harrison Bader tripled and homered to help St. Louis clinch a postseason berth on the final day of the regular season with a win over Milwaukee, and the Brewers also earned a playoff spot via help on the West Coast moments later.
RAYS 5, PHILLIES 0 » Rookie pitcher Josh Fleming allowed four hits over six innings and AL East champion Tampa Bay eliminated Philadelphia from the play
off race.
NATIONALS15, METS5 » Juan Soto became the National League’s youngest batting champion, Trea Turner hit a grand slam and drove in seven runs, and Washington beat New York.
REDS5, TWINS3(10) » Tucker Barnhart and Eugenio Suárez had RBI singles a three-run 10th inning, and Cincinnati beat Minnesota in a regular- season finale that determined postseason matchups.
RANGERS 8, ASTROS 4 » Houston is going into the playoffs with a losing record after Rougned Odor homered twice for Texas in a win, the third in a row for theRangers over the defending American League champions.
BLUE JAYS 7, ORIOLES 5 » Toronto Blue is set to face the Tampa BayRays in the first round of the postseason after losing toBaltimore inits regular season finale. DODGERS 5, ANGELS 0 » A. J. Pollock homered twice and NLWest champion Los Angeles completed a threegame sweep of the Angels. MARLINS5, YANKEES0 » Miami ended a streak of 10 straight seasons without a winning record, beating
New York behind a home run and three RBIs from rookie Jazz Chisholm. CUBS10, WHITESOX8 » Reynaldo López (1-3) struggled and theWhite Sox tumbled out of position for a home playoff series, losing to Kris Bryant and the crosstown Cubs.
REDSOX9, BRAVES1 » Jackie Bradley Jr. homered and made a leaping catch as last-place Boston won its final game under manager Ron Roenicke, beating playoff-bound Atlanta. INDIANS8, PIRATES6 » Carlos Santana had four RBIs and delivered a go-ahead, two-run double in the seventh inning as Cleveland rallied to clinch home-field advantage for its AL wildcard series.
DIAMONDBACKS 11, ROCKIES 3» Madison Bumgarner pitched five scoreless innings to win his first game for Arizona in his ninth and final start this season. ROYALS 3, TIGERS 1 » Brady Singer (4- 5) finished his rookie season with a stellar performance, Alex Gordon wrapped up his long Royals career with a fond farewell and Kansas City ended its season with a win over Detroit.