SAN FRANCISCO- The San Francisco Giants hosted the San Diego Padres in the regular season finale at AT&T Park in San Francisco on Sunday afternoon. San Francisco beat the Padres 7-6 in an emotional walk off victory as there were many things to think about during game number 162 for the 2013 season.

Coming off of their second World Series win in three years, the Giants finished a disappointing 76-86 and in a tie for third in the National League West with the Padres. Barry Zito was also in his last game as a San Francisco Giant.

The Giants got on the bored in the first inning with an RBI double from first basemen Brandon Belt.

After falling behind 2-1, the Giants tied it up with another run produced by the middle of the Giants order in the fourth inning. Belt started the rally when he was hit by a Tyson Ross fastball. Ross, who settled with a no decision made the start for San Diego. Buster Poesy follwed the hit by pitch with a single into left field. After a Hunter Pence strikeout, Pablo Sandoval ripped a single into right field. Belt scored easily as the throw went to third base, but Posey made a tremendous slide to set up a first and third with nobody out. The rally was stalled after Brandon Crawford and Juan Perez made a couple of loud outs.

Ross grew up right across the bay in Oakland. He started his career in Oakland after being drafted by the Oakland Athletics. The right-hander attended Bishop O’Dowd High School and was drafted out of high school by his hometown team.

San Diego regained the lead in the top of the fifth when rookie Jedd Gyorko hit a grand slam on a 2-0 pitch off of Jake Dunning. Dunning relieved starter Guillermo Moscoco. the grand slam put the Padres ahead 6-2 and put the Giants chances of winning their season finale in front of a sellout crowd of 41,495 in doubt. the sellout was the 246 consecutive sellout dating back to the last 10 games of the 2010 season. In the 81 home games this season, the Giants totaled an attendance of 3,369,106.

San Francisco however, did not give up. The Giants did what they desperately needed, and that was avoid the shutdown inning. Belt drove in another run as he knocked in Gregor Blanco after he walked and stole second. Blanco advanced to third on a throwing error and scored on Belt’s two out double into the right field corner. The RBI cut the lead in half, making it 6-3 after five innings of play.

The Giants signed righ fielder Hunter Pence to a 5-year $90 million deal on Friday and the slugger rewarded his his team with a great performance on Sunday. Pence knocked in two runs with a bases loaded single and pulled the Giants to within one run.

When Barry Zito jogged down to the bullpen, the crowd went crazy. The sellout crowd was electric from the star, but when last season’s postseason hero came in for his last appearance as a San Francisco Giant, the fans showed their appreciation. Zito faced his former teammate in Oakland, Mark Kotsay with two outs in the eighth inning. Zito struck him out and walked off the mound for the final time as a Giant at AT&T Park to a standing ovation.

After Blanco and Angel Pagan collided in the top of the ninth inning, Francisco Peguero lead of the bottom of the ninth inning with his first career homerun off of Padres closer Huston Street. The blast tied the game up 6-6 and gave the Giants new life. The Giants got the bases loaded again with nobody out after Posey was walked intentionally. The free pass set up the heroics for Hunter Pence. Pence sent the Giants off into the off season with a walk off single. the RBI brought Pence to finish the season with 99 RBIs.

Phillip Torres covers the San Francisco Giants for sportsradioservice.com