The Padres came into San Francisco with virtually no chance of a postseason berth, having squandered their final home series against the Cubs. But after two dramatic wins over the Giants coupled with two losses by the Braves they went into game 162 with three scenarios of them reaching the postseason and one where they didn’t.

But after the Braves held off the Phillies for an 8-7 win Sunday, the Padres had to win to play another day. Even with a good effort by Mat Latos could not overcome the Padres offensive struggles as they were shutout to end the season. Here is a game by game series recap of how the Friars came oh so close for pulling off the impossible to end the miracle season that was not meant to be.

October 1^st, 2010 Padres 6 Giants 4

Clayton Richard (14-9) 5.33IP 7H 3R 3ER 2BB 1K 1HR

LP Matt Cain (13-11) 4IP 9H 6R 6ER 1BB 3K 3HR

S Heath Bell (46) 1.33IP 0H 0R 0ER 1BB 0K 0HR

The Padres offense woke up scoring six early runs to chase Matt Cain and Heath Bell held on for a four-out save to keep the Padres’ postseason hopes alive. The Friars were able to silence a raucous San Francisco crowd in a packed AT&T Park on Orange Friday.

Matt Cain served up six runs on three dingers in only four innings on his 26^th birthday. Ryan Ludwick cleared the centerfield fence to lead off the second to give the Padres a 1-0 lead.

Adrian Gonzalez hit a three-run shot with two-outs to give the Padres a 4-0 lead. His 31^st round-tripper of the season also brought his RBI total to 101.

Matt Stairs added another in the fifth with a solo home run and David Eckstein scored on a wild pitch an inning later to put the Padres up 6-0.

The Giants came back chipping away from the Padre lead starting with Freddy Sanchez’s two out single in the fifth that scored Cody Ross from second.

In the sixth Aaron Rowand hit a pinch-hit home run scoring Pat Burell who reached base with ground rule double. Juan Uribe would walk before Edgar Renteria struck out for the second out of the inning. Cody Ross would double to put runners on 2^nd and 3^rd to extend the inning. Andre Torres would then single in a run to make it 6-4 with the Giants threatening. Luke Gregerson would come in and get Freddy Sanchez to line out to end the inning.

The Giants would threaten again with two baserunners on with two outs in the ninth, prompting Bud Black to bring in closer Heath Bell. Bell would get Andres Torres to groundout to Adrian Gonzalez to end the inning.

Bell would have some trouble of his own in the ninth giving up a leadoff walk to Freddy Sanchez. Aubrey Huff then absolutely crushed the ball to deep right field. A retreating Will Venable made the grab right at the wall, enabling him to easily double up Sanchez who was halfway to third when the throw came in. Buster Posey would ground out to Tejada to end the game.

October 2^nd, 2010 Padres 4 Giants 2

WP Tim Stauffer (6-5) 6.33IP 3H 1R 1ER 2BB 4K 1HR

LP Barry Zito (9-14) 3IP 5H 4R 3ER 4BB 4K 0HR

S Heath Bell (47) 1IP 3H 1R 1ER 0BB 0K 0HR

The Padres jumped on the Giants early for the second consecutive day, and the Padres bullpen once again barely held on to keep the Padres in it going into game 162. The win tied them for the wild card and put them a game behind the Giants.

Barry Zito walked in two runs in the first inning to give the Padres a 2-0 adavantage.

They would score again in the second on a fielder’s choice when Pablo Sandoval’s throw to second sailed towards the first base side of the bag enabling Adrian Gonzalez to avoid the tag sliding into second while Miguel Tejada scored with two outs. He Giants would catch a break two batters later when Chase Headley singled to shallow right field. Scott Hairston was ruled out at third before Adrian Gonzalez crossed the plate, keeping the score 3-0.

Miguel Tejada added another RBI, his 32^nd as a Padre, when he singled in Tim Stauffer in the fourth.

The Giants broke up the shutout in the seventh when Juan Uribe hit a solo blast to left field. That was followed by a Pablo Sandoval single but the Giants were unable to bring him home.

Heath Bell came in his fourth consecutive day to earn his 47^th save of the season. With one out he gave up consecutive doubles to Pat Burrell and Uribe putting runners at third and second for Pablo Sandoval down three. Sandoval singled to score Burrell and advance Uribe to third. But Heath Bell got pinch hitter Jose Guillen to ground to Miguel Tejada who waved off David Eckstein as he tagged second base and threw to first to complete the double play and extend the season one more game.

October 3^rd, 2010 Padres 0 Giants 3

WP Jonathon Sanchez (13-9) 5IP 3H 0R 0ER 5BB 5K 0HR

LP Mat Latos (14-10) 6IP 8H 2R 2ER 0BB 4K 0HR

S Brian Wilson (48) 1IP 0H 0R 0ER 0BB 1K 0HR

The Padres final game was an example of what plagued them as they faltered down the stretch to end the season. And that was the inability to score runs. Mat Latos lost his fifth straight decision, though it wasn’t for lack of trying.

Latos made a mistake in third when surrendered a one-out triple to pitcher Jonathon Sanchez. Two batters later Freddy Sanchez knocked in Jonathon with a two out single. He would score from first on Aubrey Huff’s double just passed a diving Chris Denorfia, putting the Giants up 2-0.

The Padres were unable to produce in two key situations. Santiago Casilla came in for the Giants with a runner on first and second with no outs in the sixth. Yorvit Torrealba would hit a rocket to third baseman Pablo Sandoval. The Panda would tag third and then surprisingly fire the ball to second, just beating a sliding Ryan Ludwick for a double play instead of throwing out the slower Torrealba at first base. The gamble paid off though as the Giants induced a grounder in the whole to shortstop Juan Uribe, who’s only play was to second to force out Torrealba.

In the top of the seventh the Padres put two runners on with Miguel Tejada coming to the plate. The Giants would bring in right hander Ramon Ramirez to face the Padres number three hitter. Tejada would work the count but ultimately struck out to end the nine pitch at-bat. The Padres left nine runners on base with four in scoring position.

Buster Posey led off the eight with a solo home run just over the left field wall to add an insurance run for closer Bran Wilson. Wilson would retire all three Padres he face, ending with a strikeout of Will Venable to win the saves title over Heath Bell and more importantly the NL West for the Giants.