SAN FRANCISCO — Nearly 10 hours later, the real fun began for San Francisco.
The Giants secured a wild card when Milwaukee lost at Cincinnati on Thursday afternoon. Then they gave up a six-run lead in their own game against San Diego before rallying for a 9-8 victory over the Padres.
Once the game was over, fireworks went off from the center-field scoreboard and Giants players gathered in the middle of the diamond to pull on playoff shirts and caps as the remaining part of the sellout crowd cheered.
Pitcher Tim Hudson received a phone call from his wife as he drove to the ballpark congratulating him for making the playoffs. Manager Bruce Bochy followed the Brewers’ loss on his iPad.
It was a quirky way to clinch, and the Giants had no complaints.
The Brewers lost to the Reds 5-3 about 1 p.m. Pacific time. San Francisco began its four-game series against San Diego on Thursday night still playing to host the one-game playoff Wednesday, a matchup featuring either the Cardinals or Pirates.
“We got our foot in the door,” Hudson said. “We’ve obviously still got some work ahead of us these next four days. We have to win out or win three out of four and we’ve got a chance to be playing here. We’re taking these games seriously and we have to win as many as we can.”
This clincher had a delayed party — as Bochy was all in favor of his players celebrating their accomplishment after Thursday night’s game, win or lose.
The Giants remained one game behind Pittsburgh for the top wild-card spot, and the Pirates — 10-1 winners at Atlanta — hold the tiebreaker if the clubs finish with identical records. The Giants have the tiebreaker with St. Louis.
REDS 5, BREWERS 3
CINCINNATI — Brandon Phillips hit his first home run in almost three months and rookie David Holmberg pitched six solid innings as the Cincinnati Reds officially ended Milwaukee’s postseason hopes.
Holmberg (2-2) allowed two runs on three hits to earn his second career win, both in the last 12 days over Milwaukee starter Yovani Gallardo (8-11).
Aroldis Chapman pitched the ninth for his 35th save.
TIGERS 4, TWINS 2
DETROIT — Miguel Cabrera and Victor Martinez homered, Max Scherzer made it through six tough innings and the Detroit Tigers moved closer to another AL Central title with a victory over Minnesota.
The Tigers, who have already clinched a postseason berth, can wrap up a fourth straight division championship as early as Friday. Martinez hit a two-run homer in the first, and Cabrera added a solo shot in the fourth.
Scherzer (18-5) allowed two runs and five hits. Joakim Soria pitched the seventh, Joba Chamberlain handled the eighth and Joe Nathan finished for his 34th save in 41 chances.
Trevor May (3-6) took the loss.
ROYALS 6, WHITE SOX 3
CHICAGO — Eric Hosmer homered and drove in two runs, Lorenzo Cain had four hits and scored twice and the Kansas City Royals put themselves on the verge of a playoff spot by beating the Chicago White Sox.
One more win for Kansas City, or a loss by Seattle, will send the Royals to the postseason for the first time since George Brett led them to a championship in 1985.
RANGERS 2, ATHLETICS 1
ARLINGTON, Texas — Adrian Beltre hit a walk-off homer in the ninth inning, and the Texas Rangers kept Oakland from getting closer to clinching an AL wild-card spot.
Beltre sent a drive just over the wall in right field off Luke Gregerson (5-5) with one out for his team-leading 19th homer of the season and just his second since Aug. 10.
MARINERS 7, BLUE JAYS 5
TORONTO — Logan Morrison hit two home runs, Mike Zunino also connected and the Seattle Mariners kept their faint playoff hopes alive, beating Toronto.
Morrison hit a three-run drive off Todd Redmond in the fourth and added a solo shot off Aaron Loup (4-4) in the sixth as the Mariners avoided a four-game sweep and snapped a five-game losing streak.
The victory sent the Mariners into the final three games of the season trailing wild-card leader Kansas City by three games and Oakland by two.
PIRATES 10, BRAVES 1
ATLANTA — Edinson Volquez threw seven scoreless innings, Travis Snider and Neil Walker hit homers and the Pittsburgh Pirates moved within one game of the NL Central lead by defeating Atlanta.
Pittsburgh, only one game behind first-place St. Louis in the division, will close its regular season with a three-game series at Cincinnati. The Pirates clinched a playoff spot on Tuesday night.
Volquez (13-7) set a season high with 10 strikeouts and gave up only four hits. He closed his regular season with 18 consecutive scoreless innings.
METS 7, NATIONALS 4, 1ST GAME
NATIONALS 3, METS 0, 2ND GAME
WASHINGTON — Gio Gonzalez struck out a career-high 12 and allowed just one hit through seven innings as the Washington Nationals beat the New York Mets to split a day-night doubleheader.
In the first game, Ryan Zimmerman’s healing hamstring appeared to pass a seven-inning test for playoff-bound Washington in its loss.
The split pulls the NL East champion Nationals within one win — or one Los Angeles Dodgers loss — of clinching the National League’s top record and home-field advantage until the World Series.
In the second game, Zack Wheeler (11-11) allowed three runs over five innings in the loss as the Mets were ensured of their sixth consecutive sub-.500 season.