Field Level Media
Apr 7, 2024
Matt Chapman capped a two-run eighth inning with a go-ahead single, Camilo Doval pitched a three-strikeout ninth for his first save of the season and the San Francisco Giants secured a series win over the visiting San Diego Padres with a 3-2 victory Sunday afternoon.
Having scored just four runs in the first 25 innings of the three-game set, the Giants caught a break in the eighth after one-out singles by Wilmer Flores and Jorge Soler put runners at the corners.
Padres reliever Jhony Brito (0-2) then got what appeared to be a double play grounder off the bat of Michael Conforto, but San Diego first baseman Jake Cronenworth elected to tag the bag for the inning's second out before throwing to second.
As pinch-runner Tyler Fitzgerald raced home from third, Padres shortstop Ha-Seong Kim dropped the ball while applying a tag on Soler, allowing Fitzgerald to tie the game.
Chapman then followed with a single to right field, plating Soler with the eventual game-winner.
Making just his third appearance of the season, Doval took over for Ryan Walker (1-0), who threw a scoreless eighth, and struck out the first two batters he faced in the ninth before Jackson Merrill singled and stole second.
But the Giants closer then got Luis Campusano swinging to complete San Francisco's first series win of the young season.
Neither starting pitcher got a decision.
Padres starter Matt Waldron left with a 2-1 lead in the sixth, having allowed just an unearned run and three hits in 5 1/3 innings. He walked one and struck out five.
The Giants' Logan Webb went seven innings. He gave up both Padres runs and 10 hits, but didn't walk anyone and struck out three.
Soler had a double and a single for the Giants, who trailed 2-0 before a Chapman fielder's choice scored Jung Hoo Lee in the sixth. Chapman finished with both San Francisco RBIs.
Merrill went 4-for-4 for the Padres, while Cronenworth had two hits and a hand in both of their runs, doubling in Fernando Tatis Jr. in the first and scoring in the sixth on a Kim single.
--Field Level Media