SAN DIEGO — For the reigning champs, it’s no longer about calculating magic numbers and critiquing games behind. It’s about shutting down wounded players and dreading elimination day.
The season is closing fast on the Giants, who lost to the Padres 5-4 Thursday night in a game Madison Bumgarner — amid stare-downs with umpire Joe West — was denied his 19th win by a worn-down bullpen.
Bumgarner gave up three hits in seven innings and exited with a 4-3 lead, only to watch Hunter Strickland and Sergio Romo permit the tying run in the eighth and Mike Broadway and Josh Osich give up the winning run in the ninth, Alexi Amarista’s single giving the Padres a walkoff win for the second straight night.