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SAN FRANCISCO — Blake Snell tossed six shutout innings in his latest terrific start for the San Diego Padres as he makes a final push for the National League Cy Young Award — but Giants ace Logan Webb will probably get some votes too, especially after what he did Monday night in a matchup of teams clinging to slim playoff hopes.

Webb pitched his second complete game this season, and pinch hitter Michael Conforto delivered a two-run single in the eighth inning to lift San Francisco over the Padres 2-1.

The game marked Webb’s 24th quality start this season — tops in the majors, according to the Giants. Webb, whose first career complete game was a shutout of the Colorado Rockies on July 9, also leads the big leagues with 216 innings pitched.

“This is a pretty significant statement game when you’re going up against another Cy Young Award candidate,” San Francisco manager Gabe Kapler said of Webb. “He was totally efficient, totally in control. Never lost his delivery, never lost his stuff. There wasn’t a hint of struggle the entire game.”

Snell lowered his major-league-best ERA to 2.25.

Webb (11-13) had seven strikeouts and allowed nine hits on 110 pitches for the Giants (78-79), who moved within 4½ games of the final postseason spot in the NL. They have five games remaining.

“To be honest, winning is more important,” Webb said when asked about the Cy Young Award. “If we don’t do that, then it’s kind of a waste. That’s my goal. I’m tired of losing. It’s not enjoyable. It’s not fun. We have to make some big changes in here to create that winning culture that we want to show up every single year and try to win the whole thing.”

San Diego (77-80) is 5½ games back of the Arizona Diamondbacks and Chicago Cubs, who are tied for the last two of three NL wild cards. One more loss by the Padres or one more win for the Diamondbacks and Cubs would eliminate San Diego.

After the Padres got runners to second and third with one out in the ninth, Giants first baseman LaMonte Wade Jr. fielded Ji Man Choi‘s grounder and threw home to get a sliding Juan Soto. Webb then got pinch hitter Jurickson Profar to ground out to end it.

The Giants couldn’t get much going against Snell — who won the American League Cy Young Award in 2018 with the Tampa Bay Rays — but came through against the Padres’ bullpen.

“It’s kind of hard to go pitch for pitch with [Snell],” Webb said. “He’s going to win the Cy Young. He’s the best pitcher in baseball. It’s always a pleasure watching him.”

Wade began the comeback with a one-out walk against Robert Suarez (4-3) in the eighth. After Marco Luciano doubled and pinch hitter Joc Pederson was intentionally walked, Choi fielded Patrick Bailey‘s grounder to first and threw home for the forceout.

Conforto, signed in the offseason to add some spark to San Francisco’s lineup, then laced a 1-1 fastball down the third-base line to drive in Wade and Luciano as the crowd of 28,559 at Oracle Park roared.

“It was a lightning jolt of energy that we felt in the dugout,” said Webb, who has had fewer than three runs of support in 22 of 33 starts.

Snell gave up four hits and walked two in what might be his last start of the regular season. Set to become a free agent this fall, he pitched with runners on base in every inning. He also had six strikeouts to raise his season total to 233, second most in the majors behind the Atlanta BravesSpencer Strider (274).

It also marked the 23rd consecutive game in which Snell has given up three earned runs or fewer, the longest streak in Padres history.

Manny Machado drove in San Diego’s only run with a bloop single in the first. Xander Bogaerts, Fernando Tatis Jr. and Brett Sullivan each had two hits.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Former White Sox pitcher, world champ Jenks dies

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Former White Sox pitcher, world champ Jenks dies

Bobby Jenks, a two-time All-Star pitcher for the Chicago White Sox who was on the roster when the franchise won the 2005 World Series, died Friday in Sintra, Portugal, the team announced.

Jenks, 44, who had been diagnosed with adenocarcinoma, a form of stomach cancer, this year, spent six seasons with the White Sox from 2005 to 2010 and also played for the Boston Red Sox in 2011. The reliever finished his major league career with a 16-20 record, 3.53 ERA and 173 saves.

“We have lost an iconic member of the White Sox family today,” White Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf said in a statement. “None of us will ever forget that ninth inning of Game 4 in Houston, all that Bobby did for the 2005 World Series champions and for the entire Sox organization during his time in Chicago. He and his family knew cancer would be his toughest battle, and he will be missed as a husband, father, friend and teammate. He will forever hold a special place in all our hearts.”

After Jenks moved to Portugal last year, he was diagnosed with a deep vein thrombosis in his right calf. That eventually spread into blood clots in his lungs, prompting further testing. He was later diagnosed with adenocarcinoma and began undergoing radiation.

In February, as Jenks was being treated for the illness, the White Sox posted “We stand with you, Bobby” on Instagram, adding in the post that the club was “thinking of Bobby as he is being treated.”

In 2005, as the White Sox ended an 88-year drought en route to the World Series title, Jenks appeared in six postseason games. Chicago went 11-1 in the playoffs, and he earned saves in series-clinching wins in Game 3 of the ALDS at Boston, and Game 4 of the World Series against the Houston Astros.

In 2006, Jenks saved 41 games, and the following year, he posted 40 saves. He also retired 41 consecutive batters in 2007, matching a record for a reliever.

“You play for the love of the game, the joy of it,” Jenks said in his last interview with SoxTV last year. “It’s what I love to do. I [was] playing to be a world champion, and that’s what I wanted to do from the time I picked up a baseball.”

A native of Mission Hills, California, Jenks appeared in 19 games for the Red Sox and was originally drafted by the then-Anaheim Angels in the fifth round of the 2000 draft.

Jenks is survived by his wife, Eleni Tzitzivacos, their two children, Zeno and Kate, and his four children from a prior marriage, Cuma, Nolan, Rylan and Jackson.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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In search of infield options, Yanks add Candelario

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In search of infield options, Yanks add Candelario

NEW YORK — The New York Yankees, digging for options to bolster their infield, have signed third baseman Jeimer Candelario to a minor league contract and assigned him to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, the affiliate announced Saturday.

Candelario, 31, was released by the Cincinnati Reds on June 23, halfway through a three-year, $45 million contract he signed before the start of last season. The decision was made after Candelario posted a .707 OPS in 2024 and batted .113 with a .410 OPS in 22 games for the Reds before going on the injured list in April with a back injury.

The performance was poor enough for Cincinnati to cut him in a move that Reds president of baseball operations Nick Krall described as a sunk cost.

For the Yankees, signing Candelario is a low-cost flier on a player who recorded an .807 OPS just two seasons ago as they seek to find a third baseman to move Jazz Chisholm Jr. to second base, his natural position.

Candelario is the second veteran infielder the Yankees have signed to a minor league contract in the past three days; they agreed to terms with Nicky Lopez on Thursday.

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Dodgers’ Snell pitches to hitters, ‘looked good’

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Dodgers' Snell pitches to hitters, 'looked good'

LOS ANGELES — Pitchers Blake Snell and Blake Treinen are progressing toward a return for the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Snell and Treinen each faced hitters Saturday, and Snell pitched two innings. Each could begin a rehab assignment after the All-Star break.

The 32-year-old Snell has pitched in two games for the Dodgers following his five-year, $182 million free agent deal after spending last season with the San Francisco Giants and three before that with the San Diego Padres. He is a two-time Cy Young Award winner.

“(Snell) looked good. He looked really good,” manager Dave Roberts said. “I don’t know what the velo was but the ball was coming out really well. He used his entire pitch mix. I thought the delivery was clean, sharp, so really positive day.”

The Dodgers’ starting rotation has been injury-prone this season but is starting to get a boost from Shohei Ohtani, the two-way superstar who is working as an opener in his return from elbow surgery.

Treinen is looking to get back to his role in the back end of the bullpen. He threw one inning Saturday.

“Blake Treinen I thought was really good as well,” Roberts said. “Both those guys should be ready at some point in time shortly after the All-Star break.”

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