Giants show readiness to 'scratch and claw' for edge

SAN DIEGO -- Giants manager Gabe Kapler aptly summed up his team’s approach to September baseball.

“We’re trying to scratch and claw to win every baseball game in any way we can,” he said.

Kapler showed that even extends to himself and the team’s staff by winning a rare challenge that erased a would-be out in the top of the ninth inning at Petco Park on Sunday afternoon. That in-game win wasn’t followed by a final victory, however, as the Padres prevailed, 4-0, to take the four-game series and leave San Francisco in a four-way virtual tie for the final NL Wild Card spot.

• Games remaining (25): at CHC (3), vs. COL (3), vs. CLE (3), at COL (4), at AZ (2), at LAD (4), vs. SD (3), vs. LAD (3)

• Standings update: The Giants (70-67) are in a four-way virtual tie with the D-backs (70-67), Marlins (70-67) and Reds (71-68) for the third and final NL Wild Card spot. The Cubs hold the second NL Wild Card position with a three-game buffer over the teams tied for the third.

But Kapler and Co. went down fighting. And they intend to bring plenty of that same heart to Wrigley Field, where they start a three-game series against the Cubs with a day game on Monday.

“Honestly, it’s no different than we’ve been doing all year,” shortstop Brandon Crawford said. “We’ve been streaky all season. We were playing good baseball before coming down here. … It’s kind of on track with all year, up and down.

“This club does a really good job of not worrying about that, the roller-coaster ride of the season. Just turn to the next day and try to win a game.”

Kapler certainly made every effort to win Sunday. His offense was limited to four hits and only twice advanced a runner into scoring position. But he got Patrick Bailey an extra opportunity on the challenge play.

Bailey hit an apparent groundout to shortstop Xander Bogaerts while leading off against All-Star closer Josh Hader. But the Giants contended Bogaerts was on the outfield grass before the pitch, which is a shift violation. The replay team agreed, and Bailey was awarded a ball to even the count at 1-1. He subsequently struck out before Hader earned the save.

“We have some pretty good video folks who are working on picking stuff like that up,” Kapler said. “The one who picked it up is especially sharp. Called it into the dugout, and we challenged it.

“We’re going to try to get every possible extra out, extra pitch. That’s not a guarantee of scoring runs or winning baseball games. But you scratch and claw at every turn. I don’t think that was a tough decision.”

It was only the third shift violation in the Majors this season, and only the second involving positioning on the grass. White Sox infielder Elvis Andrus was dinged for it on April 9 while playing second base.

Bailey got to see a few extra pitches, but the Giants would have preferred a few more from starter Alex Cobb. Starting on regular rest after throwing a career-high 131 pitches during his dazzling no-hit bid on Tuesday, the veteran right-hander lasted only three innings against San Diego. He allowed four runs and two homers. (The Padres hit eight homers in the final three games of the series, matching their top output for any three-game stretch this year.)

“Bad outing, not a very good one,” Cobb said, adding that the previous workload wasn’t a factor. “September baseball, everybody’s a little bit tired. I felt no different than a normal outing.”

Cobb, who threw 58 pitches against the Padres, won’t see action against the Cubs, but he expects to see the forward focus Crawford spoke about. If the roller-coaster ride turns their way, the Giants could be in a tie for the second Wild Card spot by Wednesday instead of the final spot. And ace Logan Webb starts the series opener.

“It’s playoff baseball for us,” Cobb said. “It’s been that way for a couple weeks now. You go and you flush this one. It’s unfortunate -- we came off a good series vs. Cincinnati and we won the first one here. You try to ride that wave a little bit. …

“Sept. 3, Sept. 4 -- it’s anybody’s spot.”