By IAN NICHOLAS QUILLEN | Associated Press
BALTIMORE (AP) — Anthony Santander hit a game-ending two-run homer with two outs in the ninth inning, his 42nd longball of the season, and the Baltimore Orioles eliminated the San Francisco Giants from the playoff contention, beating them 5-3 on Thursday.
Santander’s shot off Ryan Walker (9-4) came after Casey Schmitt tied the game at 3-all with a single off Seranthony Domínguez in the top of the ninth.
“Walk’s been great … one pitch ends up costing us the game,” Giants manager Bob Melvin said. “You always feel good when he’s in the game. (But) a good hitter having a great season got a pitch he could handle.”
The Giants missed a big chance to do more damage in the top of the ninth inning after the first two runners reached base. Donovan Walton popped a bunt to the catcher for the first out, then pinch hitter Mark Canha grounded into a double play to end the Giants’ threat.
San Francisco’s offense was stalled by some poor production with men in scoring position as Giants hitters went just 1-for-9 in those situations. Melvin, though, chalked those numbers up to some poor luck.
“We were 1-for-9 with runners in position but we had some really good at-bats. We were a little unlucky as far as some of the key at-bats,” he said, noting Patrick Bailey lined out with two runners aboard to end the sixth, and LaMonte Wade’s bullet to right with two was caught to end the seventh. “We were very scrappy. We just fell an at-bat short.”
The Orioles, who had lost eight of 10, moved three games ahead of idle Kansas City for the top AL wild card and had a chance to gain ground on the AL East-leading New York Yankees, who played at Seattle.
“I was like this: ‘Huff, huff, huff, keep going please,’” Santander said while making a blowing gesture. “I hit it good with the barrel, but too high. I was hopeful that that ball kept going. And thankfully it did.”
The Giants dropped to 6-9 in September.
Michael Conforto’s 18th home run gave San Francisco a 2-0 lead in the top of the fourth, then Adley Rutschman hit an RBI double and Jackson Holliday drove in two with a two-out single to make it 3-2.
The teams traded zeroes until the ninth, when Dominguez walked the first two batters and Schmitt hit a high-arcing fly ball to right-center.
The diving Austin Slater got his glove to it but the former Giant couldn’t hold on while colliding with center fielder Cedric Mullins, and pinch-runner Brett Wisely scored from second despite tagging on the play.
“We come back in the ninth and have some good at-bats late in the game like we typically do,” Melvin said. “But just fell an at-bat short.”
Mullins received medical attention but remained in the game.
With Gunnar Henderson on first, Santander fell behind 0-2 against Walker but took a ball and fouled off four pitches before connecting on a slider over the middle.
Logan Webb went five innings and gave up the three fourth-inning runs. He struck out eight Orioles and allowed four hits.
“We’re up 2-0 in the fourth and I go out there and I give up three,” said Webb. “It’s been kind of a theme for me, unfortunately, and I just have to be better.
“It’s kind of a thing where I felt like I had good stuff but just not getting the job done and I think that’s more important than anything else.”
TRAINER’S ROOM
Orioles: LHP Danny Coulombe faced three batters and allowed a hit in his third rehab outing at Triple-A Norfolk on Wednesday. Hyde said the club will make a decision on his status after he goes through pregame activities with Norfolk on Thursday. … Hyde said he hopes 1B Ryan Mountcastle can begin a rehab assignment with Norfolk sometime this weekend.
UP NEXT
Giants: Rookie RHP Mason Black (0-4, 7.07 ERA) takes his fourth turn since he was recalled from Triple-A Sacramento at the end of August as the Giants play the first of three against the Royals.
Orioles: Ace Corbin Burnes (14-8, 3.06) makes what could be his final regular-season start in Baltimore as the O’s start a three-game set against Detroit to close their home schedule. Burnes will be a free agent this offseason.
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