The San Francisco Giants emerged victorious in a nail-biting game against the San Diego Padres, thanks to a power-packed performance by their lineup. On Sunday, Matt Chapman, Jerar Encarnacion, and Luis Matos each hit home runs during a six-run fourth inning, propelling the visiting Giants to a 7-6 win. Erik Miller (4-5) stepped up from the bullpen, pitching 1 2/3 scoreless innings to secure the win after the starter, Spencer Bivens, was pulled out just two outs shy of qualifying for the win.

Bivens allowed four hits and one run over 4 1/3 innings, with one walk and three strikeouts, aiding San Francisco (71-73) to clinch two out of three games against their National League West rival. On the opposing side, Joe Musgrove (5-5) struggled in his first poor start since returning from the injured list on August 12. He surrendered six runs on eight hits and a walk, while striking out seven over 4 1/3 innings as San Diego's season record dropped to 81-64. This loss significantly impacted the Padres, narrowing their lead over the Arizona Diamondbacks for the NL's first wild-card spot to just one game, pending the outcome of Sunday night's game against Houston.

Additionally, the Padres fell six games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West following the Dodgers' 4-0 win over Cleveland. Musgrove had maintained a stellar performance, allowing just four runs across his first five starts post-injury before the Giants' home run flurry hit in the fourth inning. The game saw Chapman break the scoreless tie with a two-run blast, his 23rd of the year. Encarnacion followed suit with a three-run homer, marking his third of the season. Matos then lined a solo shot to left field for his fifth homer, further stretching the Giants' lead.

Curt Casali added another run for the Giants in the seventh inning with his first homer of the season, making it a crucial 7-1. This proved vital as the Padres launched a late-game rally against the Giants' bullpen. Tyler Rogers' wild pitch allowed Jackson Merrill to score with the bases loaded in the seventh, and Tyler Fitzgerald's dropped pop-up in short right-center field scored two more runs. Xander Bogaerts made it a one-run game in the eighth inning with a two-run homer, his ninth of the year. However, Ryan Walker managed to get the last five outs, earning his seventh save and sealing the win for the Giants.

Merrill's 23rd homer in the fifth inning was the only run the Padres could muster off Bivens, highlighting the struggle for San Diego in this intense matchup.