Victor Caratini’s walk-off infield single sent San Diego to a 7-6 victory over the Giants on Thursday afternoon at Petco Park, snapping a five-game losing streak that has seen the Padres fade almost entirely from playoff contention. They remain six games behind the red-hot Cardinals in the race for the second NL Wild Card spot. 

Right-hander Yu Darvish was mostly solid for the Padres, as he exited with a two-run lead and two men aboard in the sixth. But when San Diego went to lefty Tim Hill, the Giants countered with righty pinch-hitter Austin Slater, who popped a three-run homer over the short wall in left, and the Giants took a one-run lead. Darvish finished having allowed four runs on three hits, while striking out seven.

The Padres responded half an inning later with back-to-back homers from Trent Grisham and Ha-Seong Kim. Back and forth they went. Tommy La Stella tied it at 6 half an inning later with a two-out RBI double.

That set the stage for Caratini in the 10th. The Padres backstop came to the plate with the tying run on third and sent a chopper to second baseman La Stella, whose throw home was too late to nab Jurickson Profar.