Matt Downs hit a two-run, tie-breaking double in the top of the 12th inning to lift the San Francisco Giants to a 7-6 victory over the San Diego Padres on Tuesday night.

The victory was San Francisco’s first over the Padres in eight meetings this season. It also moved the Giants back to within a half-game of San Diego for first-place.

San Francisco scored three times in a wild 12th inning that also saw the Padres score twice.

Downs’ double off Cesar Ramos (0-1) followed consecutive singles by Ryan Rohlinger and Eli Whiteside. Downs then scored on Eugenio Velez’s single.
David Eckstein hit a two-run double in the bottom of the 12th and Adrian Gonzalez was intentionally walked before Brian Wilson struck out Chase Headley for his 10th save.

Dan Runzler (2-0) recorded the victory for the Giants.

San Francisco tied the game in the top of the eighth on a two-run homer by Andres Torres.

Starting pitchers Mat Latos and Jonathan Sanchez were long gone by the conclusion. San Diego’s Latos had twice beaten Sanchez by 1-0 scores this ason, including a one-hit shutout last week.
Sanchez, who no-hit the Padres last season, retired the first 12 San Diego hitters before the Padres exploded for four runs and five hits in the fifth inning.

The Padres loaded the bases on singles by Headley, Nick Hundley and Oscar Salazar before Chris Denorfia singled in the first run. A wild pitch by Sanchez allowed San Diego to score its second run and Jerry Hairston Jr. capped the flurry with a two-run single.
San Francisco scored its first runs of the season against Latos in the top of the fourth. Nate Schierholtz singled in the first run and Whiteside singled in the second.

Latos gave up just the two runs on six hits in six innings. Sanchez gave up four runs and seven hits in six innings.