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October 2, 2010

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Cubs loss put Padres on the brink of elimination

THE slumping San Diego Padres were pushed to the brink of elimination from the Major League Baseball playoff race following the team's shutout loss to the Chicago Cubs on Thursday.

The Padres fell 0-1 at home to the Cubs and dropped three games back of the San Francisco Giants in the race for the National League West division title and two games behind the Atlanta Braves for a wildcard berth.

"We're still breathing. We've still got a chance. It's not over," Giants manager Bud Black told reporters.

San Diego, however, remains just about in control of its postseason destiny with a regular season-ending three-game series against the Giants in San Francisco.

"It's going to be a lot of heat on us, a lot of fun," second baseman David Eckstein said. "You love it when you play in front of a packed crowd. Having been there in different situations in my career, it's a great environment."

The Padres have suffered three shutout losses in their last four games and will need to generate some offense to have any chance of making the playoffs for the first time since 2006.

"We need to create some more opportunities, so it's not the one time that you come up that you have to get the job done," Padres third baseman Chase Headley said. "We need to give ourselves a better opportunity to drive in runs."

Elsewhere in the NL, it was: Giants 4, Diamondbacks 1; Reds 9, Astros 1; Cardinals 6, Rockies 1; Brewers 9, Mets 2; and Marlins 11, Pirates 9.

In the American League, it was: Royals 3, Rays 2; Rangers 3, Angels 2; Blue Jays 13, Twins 2; White Sox 8, Red Sox 2; and Athletics 8, Mariners 1.

In San Diego, Chicago's Brad Snyder drove in the game-winning run with a single in top of the ninth inning and the Padres were unable to mount a late recovery as Carlos Marmol pitched a perfect inning to register his 37th save in 42 attempts.

Aramis Ramirez started the Cubs' ninth with a broken-bat single to right off closer Heath Bell (6-1) and was replaced by pinch-runner Darwin Barney. Xavier Nady laid down a sacrifice bunt and Barney scored on Snyder's single to left.




 

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