Giants beat Padres, become first team to clinch playoff berth
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The San Francisco Giants became the first major league team to clinch a playoff spot this season, hitting four home runs to beat the San Diego Padres 9-1 on Monday night for their season-high eighth consecutive victory.
After finishing 29-31 in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, the Giants have done a complete turnaround in manager Gabe Kapler's second season. They have the best record in baseball (94-50) with 18 games remaining — nine of them against the Padres, who are trying to win an NL wild card.
San Francisco extended its latest hot streak by getting early power at the plate and steady pitching from the bullpen after opener Dominic Leone threw two strong innings.
Tommy La Stella connected on the fourth pitch from Padres starter Yu Darvish (8-10) and Evan Longoria hit a three-run shot five batters later. Mike Yastrzemski added a solo homer in the fourth when Brandon Belt also went deep as San Francisco secured a spot in the postseason for the first time since 2016.
It's the earliest date the franchise has ever clinched a trip to the postseason.
The Padres scored on back-toback doubles by Trent Grisham and Fernando Tatis Jr. off Jarlin García in the third.
CARDINALS 7, METS 0
NEW YORK (AP) — Adam Wainwright won his fifth straight start in a rare matchup of 40-yearold pitchers, and St. Louis blanked New York.
Paul Goldschmidt homered and had two RBIs for the surging Cardinals, who began the day one game behind Cincinnati and San Diego for the second NL wild card.
New York entered three games behind the Reds and Padres.
The 40-year-old Wainwright (16-7) allowed four hits in six innings with three walks and four strikeouts in a matchup against 41-year-old New York starter Rich Hill.
Dylan Carlson had an RBI double, and Nolan Arenado, Yadier Molina, Edmundo Sosa and Harrison Bader all had RBI singles in the ninth.
Hill (6-7) allowed three runs on six hits and two walks with four strikeouts in five innings.
ASTROS 15, RANGERS 1
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Jose Siri homered twice and added a two-run single in his first big league start, Yordan Alvarez hit a pair of 400-foot homers and AL West-leading Houston overwhelmed last-place Texas.
Siri finished 4 for 5 with five RBIs while scoring three times for the Astros (84-59). Alex Bregman added a two-run homer, while Carlos Correa and Jose Altuve had two-run doubles. Houston built a 9-0 lead after scoring multiple runs in each of the first three innings off three Texas pitchers.