San Francisco Giants Open Seasons Final Roadie With 3-1 Win Over Padres

Although the National League West has long been clinched, the San Francisco Giants still have something to play for and it’s showing. Doing their best to track down either the Cincinnati Reds or Washington Nationals for an improved postseason seed, the orange and black kept pace with the Reds who won behind a Homer Bailey no-hitter and also picked up a game on the Nationals who lost to St. Louis in a blowout. The Giants’ win moved them to three back of both Cincy and Washington with five games to go – although – the Giants, given they lost the season series to both squads would need to finish a game ahead of either team to secure homefield. With only five games to go, it would take a near mini collapse but stranger things have happened. And oddly, despite the (potential) three games at home in the first round, starting as the “lower seed” team in this years Division Series might actually be the better of the scenarios given the ability to open at home.

September 28, 2012; San Diego, CA, USA; Fans wave a sign for San Francisco Giants catcher Buster Posey (not pictured) during the seventh inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-US PRESSWIRE

Vogeltron Is Back? – For most of the season, Ryan Vogelsong looked like he was going to squeak into Cy Young talks. Then everything exploded. Vogelsong’s August ERA ballooned to 6.32 while his first four starts of September somehow got worse, his ERA for those starts climbing to 8.66. It was semi-unexplainable. Was it a dead arm? Was it a lack of concentration? Just tired? Whatever it was, it seems – at least for now, to be over. Vogelsong has now thrown 12 innings of one run ball and although all of those innings have come against the Padres’ offense, he looks more confident on the mound. He’ll get one more chance to prove himself to Bruce Bochy as he and Barry Zito fight for that fourth starter role in the playoffs, assuming the Giants use one in the first round (which isn’t a given).

M-V-Posey – After a 2 for 3 night, Buster Posey now sits at .334 for the season – yes, you read that right – .334. Impressive for ANY player, let alone a catcher. His lone competition for the batting title, Pittsburgh’s Andrew McCutchen was on the wrong side of the aforementioned Homer Bailey no-hitter, which dropped Cutch’s average to .330. With only five more games to go in the season and Posey potentially expected to sit in Sunday’s day game and maybe the final game of the season if he leads in the race, one good or bad game from either player in their next handful might seal the deal.

The win gave the Giants their 92nd victory of the season, tying their 2010 win total. One more win before the regular season comes to a close and the Giants will have their most victories in a regular season since 2003 when they won the elusive 100 games