Photo credit: @markopalypse

By Jeremy Kahn

Brandon Crawford came up with the biggest hit of the game when the San Francisco Giants needed it the most in Tuesday’s game against the San Diego Padres.

Crawford hit a seeing eye single to right field in the top of the 10th inning, helping the Giants defeat the Padres 3-2 at Petco Park Tuesday.

Evan Longoria tripled to lead off the inning of losing pitcher Phil Maton, and then Longoria scored on Crawford’s thru the infield.

Tony Watson won for the fourth time this season, as he pitched a perfect ninth inning for the Giants, who have won three games in a row after dropping four in a row.

After striking out all five batters he faced on Monday night, Will Smith came on to pick up his sixth save of the season and the Giants swept the two-game series.

It is totally different story for the Padres, who are 2-9 since the All-Star break, having dropped 14 out of their last 16 games and went 5-20 in the month of July.

Dereck Rodriguez pitched fantastic, as he went seven innings, allowing one run on three hits, walking three and striking out a career-high seven. This was the second time in his 10 Major League starts that Rodriguez pitched seven innings.

Rodriguez gave up the only run that he would allow in the bottom of the first inning, as he gave up a single to Wil Myers and Eric Hosmer hit a RBI double to give the Padres an early 1-0 lead.

Monday Night’s hero Gorkys Hernandez tied up the game in the top of the fourth inning, as he hit a sacrifice fly to score Austin Slater from third base.

Andrew McCutchen gave the Giants the lead in the top of the fifth inning, as he hit an opposite field home run off of Padres starter Clayton Richard.

The Giants loaded the bases in the top of the eighth inning, as Longoria led off the inning with a single, then Nick Hundley followed up with a single of his own and Slater walked to load the bases. Crawford struck out against rookie Robert Stock, who then got Panik to ground into the Fielders’ Choice and got out of the jam, as he got Hernandez to fly out to right field and the Giants came up empty.

Unfortunately, Reyes Moronta was not able to hold to the lead, as he allowed Manuel Margot reach on a Fielders’ Choice that allowed Jose Pirela score the tying run. Pirela walked against Moronta, as he came on to pinch-hit for Stock.

Richard was replaced by Jordan Lyles in the top of the sixth inning, as the usual starter went two innings and struck out two.

The left-handed starter went five innings, allowing two runs on five hits, walked three and struck out one.

NOTES: Panik came off the bench to pinch hit for Hunter Pence in the top of the eighth inning and grounded into a Fielders’ Choice.

UP NEXT: After a day-off on Wednesday, the Giants open a four-game series against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field beginning on Thursday night at 6:40 pm PDT.

Giants’ Madison Bumgarner will take the start in the opener, while Zack Greinke will start for the Diamondbacks.