W	L	GB
New York	83	73	-	Outscored the football Jets.
GIANTS	82	74	-	Killer loss ends the road trip.
St Louis	81	74	.5	Couldn't take advantage.

Yesterday

Giants lost at San Diego, 4-3.

New York blew out Philadelphia, 17-0.

St Louis lost at Chicago, 3-1.

Today

Giants have the day off; they begin the season's final homestand tomorrow night against Colorado.

New York is on the road at Miami.

St Louis opens at home against Cincinnati.  

Yesterday's Game

A single three-run outburst, if you want to call it that, was all the Giants could muster against Clayton Richard and his teammates. Then, over the final six innings, they watched that lead slip away, much as this season has slipped away, or almost. Buster Posey's two-run single had capped the top of the third and given rookie southpaw Ty Blach a 3-1 cushion. Blach gave up a solo homer in the bottom of the frame, and was done after just three, having thrown 76 pitches and allowed 7 baserunners. It was up to the bullpen then, for a long day of work. Derek Law, in the fourth, Steve Okert, in the sixth, and Will Smith, in the seventh and eighth, did their jobs. George Kontos, in the fifth, walked the leadoff batter and allowed the tying run. Corey Gearrin, in the seventh, gave up a triple to the Padres' fine young centerfield prospect, Manuel Margot, who went 3-for-4 on the day with an RBI, and who then scored the winning run on Wil Myers' single. The Giants managed just two hits after Richard left the game. Adding injury to insult, Eduardo Nunez limped off the field after stealing second base in the third. Though this may mean more playing time for Kelby Tomlinson, it weakens the Giants' bench for as long as Nunez is out.   

Notes

St Louis obligingly keeps losing and keeping the Giants' hopes alive. However, now it's the last-place Reds followed by the disappointing Pirates, all at Busch Stadium. But then again, the Cards are 33-41 at home... The Mets are on the road the rest of the way, at Miami and then at Philadelphia... LA clinched the NL West yesterday, to no one's surprise... Cleveland and Boston are on the verge of doing the same... The Yankees lost to Toronto yesterday and are all but eliminated from the wild-card race... Lost in the ennui of the Giants' wasted day was Santiago Casilla quietly recording the last out in the bottom of the eighth. There may not be many appearances left in Giants regalia for the one-time World Champion closer.

Jose Fernandez 1992-2016
What strikes us hardest about this young man's tragic death is his very youth. We have a son the same age. Jose Fernandez was, by all accounts, on his way to a great career in major-league baseball. He had already endured enough trial and ordeal to last most men a lifetime. Escaping the island prison of Castro's Cuba with his family after three failed attempts, each resulting in imprisonment, had to have toughened the young man. Yet the memories those who knew him best have shared with the world attest to his generosity, his joie de vivre, and his teamwork. Our prayers go out to his family, friends, and teammates for their loss.