To The Wire

vs.

The Giants rode a strong outing by Jason Schmidt to oust the Padres -- and their post-season aspirations 7-5 -- at Petco last night. They even leant the National League's best starter a little run support, sending nine men to the plate in the fifth inning.

It was a solid display by the Giants, who yet surely look set to finish with the wooden spoon this year -- that is, the team with the best record that didn't make it into the last eight. Indeed, after the Rockies built a 4-0 lead in the top of ninth, San Francisco was poised to move just two games behind Los Angeles, with five to play. Shawn Chacon -- a Rockies pitcher through and through -- struck out Almedo Saenz to open the bottom of the ninth. He then walked four Dodgers in succession before Tim Harikala allowed runs 3,4 and 5 to cross the plate. After Milton Bradley's game-ending single on Monday, the Dodgers have proved quite the escape artists. The Rockies, on the other, have proved not very much at all -- other than converting a starter to a closer should be the exception, rather than the rule.

Yet for every cloud there is a Cub's fan. Greg Maddux picked an awfully innopportune moment to allow his first 3 home run game, as Chicago were bested by Cincinnati, 8-5. They are tied with San Francisco for a share of the Wild-Card lead. Houston is waiting in the wings, just a single game back.