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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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Springer out after 3rd base hop, ending Jays’ rally

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Springer out after 3rd base hop, ending Jays' rally

TORONTO — Blue Jays outfielder George Springer skipped into third base on a key RBI hit by teammate Alejandro Kirk, and hopped right into an inning-ending out in the fifth on Sunday against the Athletics.

Springer was called out following a replay review after Athletics third baseman Max Schuemann alertly kept his glove on the Blue Jays right fielder while Springer hopped up and down on third base.

Springer, who had reached on an RBI single that opened the scoring for Toronto, was celebrating Kirk’s double that cut the deficit to 3-2.

The out call meant Toronto slugger Addison Barger didn’t get to bat with runners at second and third.

Schuemann had just entered the game as a defensive replacement, taking over for Miguel Andujar.

The Athletics had lost five straight and 16 of 17 entering Sunday.

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Rangers keep slumping slugger Garcia on bench

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Rangers keep slumping slugger Garcia on bench

ARLINGTON, Texas — Slumping Rangers slugger Adolis García was held out of Texas’ lineup for the third consecutive day Sunday, with president of baseball operations Chris Young saying the club wants the 2023 ALCS MVP to make some mechanical changes.

“We need him to kind of commit to some of these changes that we think will get him back to the ’23 version of himself and help him be the player that we know he can be,” Young said before Texas’ series finale against St. Louis.

García is hitting .155 in the past 20 games with 25 strikeouts. He is hitting .208 overall, with seven homers and a team-high 27 RBIs for a Rangers club that has struggled offensively. He ranked 14th in the majors with 122 home runs over the past four seasons.

García, who has started 55 of Texas’ 60 games in right field this season, missed only one other game before this weekend, with manager Bruce Bochy saying Friday that García was being given a mental break.

“It’s about the mental reset and coming back with more energy,” García told reporters Saturday. “I’m working on some stuff without the pressure of having to do something up there.”

García, 32, is in the final season of a two-year contract.

The anticipated return of Evan Carter to the active roster Tuesday, joining Wyatt Langford, Alejandro Osuna and Sam Haggerty, further crowds the Rangers outfield as García tries to return to the lineup.

“It’s going to be performance-driven at this point,” Young said.

Texas also made three roster moves before Sunday’s game. Right-hander Nathan Eovaldi (triceps fatigue) was placed on the 15-day injured list retroactive to Thursday, catcher Tucker Barnhart was designated for assignment, and right-hander Codi Heuer was selected from Triple-A Round Rock.

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Phils moving Walker to relief in bullpen shakeup

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Phils moving Walker to relief in bullpen shakeup

PHILADELPHIA — The Phillies made moves to restructure their bullpen Sunday, removing Taijuan Walker from the rotation and recalling right-handed reliever Seth Johnson before their series finale against the Milwaukee Brewers.

Mick Abel will take Walker’s place in the starting rotation Thursday in Toronto. Reliever Jose Ruiz was designated for assignment to clear a roster spot for Johnson.

“I think Tai’s got a chance to make us a lot better coming out of the ‘pen,” manager Rob Thomson said.

Walker has made 10 appearances, including eight starts and two long relief appearances, with a 2-4 record and 3.53 ERA in 43⅓ innings. Thomson will use Walker in one-inning roles.

The 32-year-old Walker has been primarily a starter throughout his 13-year career. He is in the third year of a $72 million, four-year contract.

Abel made his major league debut on May 18, throwing six scoreless innings. The 23-year-old was the No. 15 pick in the 2020 amateur draft.

Johnson, 26, is 2-2 with a 4.91 ERA and 42 strikeouts in 33 innings with Triple-A Lehigh Valley, transitioning from the starting rotation to a relief role. He made one appearance for the Phillies last year, allowing nine earned runs in 2⅓ innings on Sept. 8 against Miami.

Johnson was acquired by the Phillies from Baltimore on July 30, 2024, in a trade for Gregory Soto.

Ruiz had an 8.16 ERA in 14⅓ innings this season, including allowing five runs in one inning of Saturday’s 17-7 loss to the Brewers. The 30-year-old right-hander had a 5-1 record and 3.71 ERA in 52 appearances in 2024.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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