San Francisco Giants Grant McCray (right) is congratulated by third base coach Matt Williams (left)after hitting a three run home run in the top of the second inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park in San Diego on Sat Sep 7, 2024 (AP News photo)

Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024

Petco Park 

San Diego, California

San Francisco Giants 6 (70-73)

San Diego Padres 3 (81-63)

Win: Logan Webb (12-9)

Loss: Dylan Cease (12-11)

Save: Ryan Walker (6)

Time: 2:25

Attendance: 43,318

By Stephen Ruderman

Grant McCray knocked in five runs with a pair of home runs to help pick Logan Webb up after an up-and-down start, and the Giants beat the Padres in San Diego 6-3 for their 70th win of the year.

Mason Black impressed in what was an up-and-down start Friday night, but a pair of bombs by Manny Machado helped lead the Padres to a 5-1 win in the series opener Friday night. The Giants were looking to even the series and get their 70th win Saturday night on a rare hot and humid evening in San Diego. 

The Giants went down scoreless against Padres’ starter Dylan Cease in the top of the first inning, though Heliot Ramos fought through a ten pitch at-bat to line a base-hit to left field. He really is a solid major league hitter.

Logan Webb once again took the ball after a Giants’ loss, and just like Black Friday night, he had a rough go of things in the bottom of the first. The scrappy Luis Arraez led off the bottom of the first with a base-hit to left, and Jurickson Profar singled the other way to right to put runners at the corners with nobody out. Bob Melvin challenged, but the call was upheld, and the Giants lost their challenge.

Webb walked Jake Cronenworth to load the bases with nobody out for Machado. Machado lined a base-hit off the end of the bat up the middle and into right-center for a base-hit, and Arraez scored to give the Padres a 1-0 lead. Xander Bogaers then grounded to short for a 6-4-3 double play, and even Profar came in to score, that really helped Webb limit the damage to two runs.

You could say the double play gave the Giants a little bit of momentum going to the top of the second, because they certainly seemed to seize on it. Patrick Bailey and Brett Wisely each singled to put runners at first and second with two outs for Grant McCray, who has been impressive with both the bat and the glove in his three and a half weeks in the big leagues.

McCray took a hanging slider and hit a bomb into the back of the first deck out in right, and the Giants took a 3-2 lead. It was the fourth home run for McCray.

Webb settled down with a one, two, three inning in the bottom of the second, and he pitched a scoreless inning in the bottom of the third. 

The Giants manufactured a run in the top of the fourth when McCray grounded into a double play with the bases loaded, and that made it 4-2. 

Webb pitched another scoreless inning in the bottom of the fourth, but after Cease threw a one, two, three top of the fifth, Webb would run into trouble in the bottom of the fifth. Tyler Wade led off the inning with a ground-rule double to right-center, and then he scored two batters later when Arraez lined a base-hit to right-center.

It was now 4-3, but the Padres would load the bases with two outs. Webb got Bogaerts to ground to third to end the inning, and the Giants kept their lead going to the sixth.

Cease finished his night with a one, two, three top of the sixth, and Webb found himself in more trouble in the bottom of the sixth. The Padres put runners at first and second with one out, but Webb got Mason McCoy to ground into an inning-ending double play.

Webb only had one one, two, three inning and gave up three runs and ten hits on what was an overall up-and-down night. Webb indicated that he was caught a bit off guard by the unusual humidity in San Diego, but he didn’t make any excuses, fought his way through every pitch, just as he always has. Plus, three runs over six innings is still a quality outing.

Wandy Peralta and Bryan Hoeing combined for a scoreless top of the seventh, and submariner Rogers threw a one, two, three inning in the bottom of the seventh. Boeing stayed out to throw a one, two, three inning in the top of the eighth, and Camilo Doval came in to do the same for the Giants in the bottom of the eighth.

The Giants kept their 4-3 lead going to the ninth, but as they tried to get a win against a powerful Padres’ team, they knew they needed to add on. Padres Manager Mike Shildt brought in left-hander Yuki Matsui, and Patrick Bailey walked to lead off the top of the ninth. 

Tyler Fitzgerand and Brett Wisely both struck out swinging, but Grant McCray had a chance to come through with two outs, and indeed he would. First, Bailey moved up to second on a wild pitch, but after that, McCray hit his second home run of the night to right-center, and the Giants expanded their lead to 6-3.

Grant McCray had five RBIs, and he technically knocked in every single one of the Giants’ six runs Saturday night. Remember, a run scored when he grounded into a double play in the top of the fourth. If only they would get rid of the dumb rule that you can’t get an RBI on a double play ball, McCray would’ve had six of them Saturday night.

Fernando Tatis Jr. led off the bottom of the ninth with a double to right off Ryan Walker, but Walker retired the side in order immediately afterwards. The Giants held on to win 6-3.

Logan Webb was rewarded for his valiant quality outing with the win; Dylan Cease took the loss; and Ryan Walker picked up his sixth save.

With Rogers—formerly the eighth inning guy—pitching the seventh, and Doval—formerly the closer—pitching the eighth, I can’t help but wonder if Melvin is experimenting with a seventh-eighth-ninth inning trip of Rogers, Doval and Walker. That could be a very lethal back end of the bullpen.

Speaking of experiments and what could be lethal going forward, McCray definitely believes he and a healthy Jung-hoo Lee can be a dangerous combo in the Giants’ outfield. The one positive about the Giants playing for next year is that we are getting a good look at the kids, and they have a golden opportunity to prove themselves and perhaps set themselves up to be part of the Giants’ next winning core. Heliot Ramos has certainly proven himself; now we’ll see if McCray to prove himself too. 

The Giants can win this series Sunday, and Spencer Bivens (3-1, 2.86 ERA) will take the ball in what will most likely be a bullpen game for San Francisco Sunday. The veteran, Joe Musgrove (5-4, 4.09 ERA) will make the start for San Diego. First pitch will be at 1:10 p.m.

Giants News and Notes:

• Speaking of the future, Bryce Eldridge, the Giants’ first-round draft pick last year, was called up to the Double-A Richmond Flying Squirrels. 

Eldridge is hitting .300 with a home run in his first five games in Richmond. Eldridge, who is only 19 years old, was originally not expected to make it up to the major leagues until 2026. However, there is now speculation that he could find his way up to the Giants at some point next season.