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Giles rescues Padres with ninth-inning homer

Sep 26, 2007 - 7:03 AM By Ryan McCrary PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

SAN FRANCISCO (Ticker) - While most of the focus at AT&T Park was on whether or not Barry Bonds would play at some point during his final homestand, Brian Giles found an opportune time to snap a slump and rescue the San Diego Padres' for at least one day.

Giles hit a three-run home run with two outs in the top of the ninth inning to lift the Padres to a 6-4 victory over the San Francisco Giants on Tuesday.

With four consecutive losses, San Diego (86-71) was on the verge of collapsing both in the National League West and wild card races. The Padres were one out away from falling further until Giles drilled a 2-0 fastball from Brian Wilson (1-2), who blew his first save in seven chances.

"It seems the last three or four years we've always had injuries but guys have always stepped up and responded and tonight wasn't any different," Giles said.

"That at-bat by (Oscar) Robles to bring me to the plate, (Khalil) Greene, (Scott) Hairston - we picked a way. They were up 4-0 and they didn't give up any more runs after that. This team has a track record of doing that even though it can get nerve-wracking at times, this team's got a lot of character."

Giles had just four hits in his previous 50 at-bats.

"The adrenaline was going," Wilson said. "I wanted to pitch another inning. The game was on the line. After that, I couldn't find the strike zone. My arm was flying open and when I did throw a strike, he got all of it. The more the pitch count went up, I was more ineffective, but I still have a job to do. I just fell apart."

The Padres remained one game ahead of Philadelphia (85-72) for the lead in the wild card and moved within two games of Arizona (88-69) for the lead in the National League West. Both Philadelphia and Arizona lost on Tuesday. Colorado (84-72) could remain within a game for the wild card with a win against Los Angeles on Tuesday.

"This is what gets the blood pumping in the players," San Diego manager Bud Black said.

"They relish these games in September and today was a great moment for the team," he said. "There were a lot of contributors along the way. Brian hit the big home run, but leading up to that, a lot of guys had to do their job to make that possible. Brian showed why he's been the hitter he's been in his career with a moment like that."

Bonds missed his ninth straight game with a sore toe and was seen working a Fox Sports camera during the game. He has been taking batting practice and will play in the Giants' home finale on Wednesday.

"Barry is going to play tomorrow. He's ready to go," Bochy said. "We'll see how he feels, how he's doing. Yeah it would have been nice to use him tonight, but the toe is still bothering him."

The decisive inning Tuesday was set up by a leadoff double by Greene, a two-out RBI single by Brady Clark and a walk to Robles, all off Wilson.

Joe Thatcher (1-1) pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings to keep San Diego close and Trevor Hoffman logged the ninth for his 41st save.

The late-inning heroics spoiled a great outing by San Francisco starter Matt Cain, who allowed two runs and five hits in seven innings.

"He pitched well again tonight," Black said. "Two solo homers against him. ... seven innings of two run baseball is pretty good."

The Giants scored four times in the second inning off Padres starter Brett Tomko and Cain looked in command, striking out five through three innings while allowing just a pair of singles.

Hairston finally got the Padres on the scoreboard in the sixth inning with a solo home run to deep left. Hairston entered the at-bat hitless in his last seven at-bats with four strikeouts.

Greene, a noted Giants' killer, halved the lead with a homer to start the seventh. It was the 25th home run this season for Greene - his fourth career against Cain - and the fifth against San Francisco pitching this season.