Yaz's return helps Giants end August on high note

SAN DIEGO -- August was a month of bifurcation in the National League Wild Card race. The Phillies and Cubs zoomed to cozy spots with a strong 31 days of play. The Giants, meanwhile, were in the group of teams that fell into a crowded competition for the third and final spot.

The thing about the Giants’ month: They still sit in that playoff spot, and they ended August on a high note.

San Francisco rolled to a 7-2 victory over the Padres on Thursday night at Petco Park to complete a 12-15 month. A six-run third inning carried the Giants to their fourth victory in the past five games and padded their Wild Card lead on the idle D-backs to one full game.

“We’re in good shape,” Giants manager Gabe Kapler said.

That six-run frame -- aided by two Padres errors -- was the Giants’ biggest since they scored six in the ninth against the Angels on Aug. 7. Mike Yastrzemski homered two innings later, and starting pitcher Jakob Junis tossed four hitless innings before the Padres broke through with a hit against bulk reliever Sean Manaea in the fifth.

With that, the Giants enjoyed the kind of low-stress game that figures to be rare as the calendar turns. “September baseball” earned its own name for a reason -- it’s time for scoreboard-watching, on-field drama and “win now” game strategy.

“I don’t think August has been our best month,” Kapler said. “... Hopefully, we turn the page and have a fantastic September. Beyond that, I always say a game in April is as important as in August or the last day of the season. They all count. They all matter. They’re all stressful.”

No doubt there’s added stress with the D-backs, Reds and Marlins in close pursuit in the Wild Card chase. On the flip side, even after the Cubs’ 18-9 month, the Giants are within 1 1/2 games of the second spot.

When the Giants won the NL West two years ago, they battled the Dodgers in a two-team race until the final day of the season. This race shapes up quite differently, with multiple teams targeting multiple playoff slots. But it, too, might take all 162 games to settle.

“It’s probably going to come down to the last day,” Yastrzemski said. “Understanding that each game matters and if you get a chance to beat somebody, you better do it. You have to play your best. I think we’re only going to do that if we enjoy the moment.

“We have a good opportunity in front of us. If we start thinking about the opportunity, then we’re probably going to handcuff ourselves. But if we just go out there, play our game and have fun, then you can go home and rest your head at night and sleep well.”

It certainly will help having Yastrzemski’s power bat back, too. He has had three stints on the injured list this year because of a left hamstring strain and is only two games into his latest return. His home run -- a solo drive on a fat 93 mph sinker from right-hander Matt Waldron -- went to the opposite field, an encouraging sign for the notorious pull hitter.

Yastrzemski might soon be joined on the active roster by veteran shortstop Brandon Crawford, who hopes to come off the IL by Sunday. With Kapler’s aggressive use of platoon matchups and pinch-hitters, every bit of roster depth will translate into better options in close September games.

“I think we’re playing a lot better baseball,” Junis said. “We had a good series against Cincinnati -- won the series. So to get off to a good start in this four-game series in San Diego is promising.”