SAN FRANCISCO — In past postseasons, Bruce Bochy would lovingly call his refuse-to-lose club a bunch of cockroaches. With their backs once again against the wall, the Giants lived to fight another day.
They scored two runs off dominant closer Aroldis Chapman in the eighth, and after Sergio Romo blew the save in the ninth, Joe Panik walked the Cubs off in the bottom of the 13th inning. The 6-5 win was clinched five hours and four minutes after the first pitch.
Brandon Crawford kickstarted the winning rally with a double to right off Mike Montgomery, pitching his fifth inning. Panik followed with a double off the arches in right-center.
Following one of the wildest baseball games in years, the Giants and Cubs will turn to Matt Moore and John Lackey, respectively, for Tuesday’s Game 4. Monday night’s late rally came hours after Madison Bumgarner couldn’t pull his usual Superman routine.
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SAN FRANCISCO, CA - OCTOBER 10: Joe Panik #12 of the San Francisco Giants celebrates after doubling in the game winning run in the thirteenth inning against the Chicago Cubs during Game Three of their National League Division Series against the Chicago Cubs at AT&T Park on October 10, 2016 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
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SAN FRANCISCO, CA - OCTOBER 11: John Lackey #41 of the Chicago Cubs is unable to make the play against Denard Span #2 of the San Francisco Giants at first base in the fourth inning of Game Four of their National League Division Series at AT&T Park on October 11, 2016 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
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SAN FRANCISCO, CA - OCTOBER 11: Conor Gillaspie #21 of the San Francisco Giants scores on a single by Matt Moore #45 in the fourth inning of Game Four of their National League Division Series against the Chicago Cubs at AT&T Park on October 11, 2016 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
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SAN FRANCISCO, CA - OCTOBER 11: Matt Moore #45 of the San Francisco Giants celebrates with first base coach Bill Hayes #58 after an RBI single in the fourth inning of Game Four of their National League Division Series against the Chicago Cubs at AT&T Park on October 11, 2016 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
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SAN FRANCISCO, CA - OCTOBER 11: Matt Moore #45 of the San Francisco Giants celebrates with first base coach Bill Hayes #58 after an RBI single in the fourth inning of Game Four of their National League Division Series against the Chicago Cubs at AT&T Park on October 11, 2016 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
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SAN FRANCISCO, CA - OCTOBER 11: Matt Moore #45 of the San Francisco Giants hits an RBI single in the fourth inning of Game Four of their National League Division Series against the Chicago Cubs at AT&T Park on October 11, 2016 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
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SAN FRANCISCO, CA - OCTOBER 11: Matt Moore #45 of the San Francisco Giants reacts after a inning ending double play against the Chicago Cubs during Game Four of their National League Division Series at AT&T Park on October 11, 2016 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
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SAN FRANCISCO, CA - OCTOBER 11: Matt Moore #45 of the San Francisco Giants throws a pitch against the Chicago Cubs in the fourth inning of Game Four of their National League Division Series at AT&T Park on October 11, 2016 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
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SAN FRANCISCO, CA - OCTOBER 10: Joe Panik #12 of the San Francisco Giants celebrates with Brandon Belt #9 after he doubled home the game winning run in the thirteenth inning against the Chicago Cubs during Game Three of their National League Division Series against the Chicago Cubs at AT&T Park on October 10, 2016 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
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SAN FRANCISCO, CA - OCTOBER 10: Joe Panik #12 of the San Francisco Giants celebrates after doubling in the game winning run in the thirteenth inning against the Chicago Cubs during Game Three of their National League Division Series against the Chicago Cubs at AT&T Park on October 10, 2016 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
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SAN FRANCISCO, CA - OCTOBER 10: Joe Panik #12 of the San Francisco Giants doubles home the game winning run in the thirteenth inning against the Chicago Cubs during Game Three of their National League Division Series against the Chicago Cubs at AT&T Park on October 10, 2016 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
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CHICAGO, IL - OCTOBER 08: Manager Bruce Bochy of the San Francisco Giants hands the ball to Javier Lopez #49 in the seventh inning against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on October 8, 2016 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
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SAN FRANCISCO, CA - OCTOBER 10: Denard Span #2 of the San Francisco Giants celebrates scoring on a sacrifice fly by Brandon Belt #9 in the fifth inning of Game Three of their National League Division Series against the Chicago Cubs at AT&T Park on October 10, 2016 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
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CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - OCTOBER 08: Brandon Belt #9 of the San Francisco Giants forces out Addison Russell #27 of the Chicago Cubs at first base in the fifth inning at Wrigley Field on October 8, 2016 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
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CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - OCTOBER 08: Manager Bruce Bochy of the San Francisco Giants relives Ty Blach #50 in the sixth inning against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on October 8, 2016 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
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CHICAGO, IL - OCTOBER 08: Conor Gillaspie #21 of the San Francisco Giants throws to first base in the fourth inning against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on October 8, 2016 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
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CHICAGO, IL - OCTOBER 08: Brandon Belt #9 of the San Francisco Giants hits in the third inning against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on October 8, 2016 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
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CHICAGO, IL - OCTOBER 08: George Kontos #70 of the San Francisco Giants pitches in the third inning against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on October 8, 2016 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
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CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - OCTOBER 08: Angel Pagan #16 of the San Francisco Giants reaches on an infield single in the fourth inning against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on October 8, 2016 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
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CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - OCTOBER 08: Hunter Pence #8 of the San Francisco Giants hits a single in the second inning against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on October 8, 2016 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
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CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - OCTOBER 08: Jeff Samardzija #29 of the San Francisco Giants pitches in the first inning against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on October 8, 2016 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
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CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - OCTOBER 07: Johnny Cueto #47 of the San Francisco Giants throws to first base in the first inning against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on October 7, 2016 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Stacey Revere/Getty Images)
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CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - OCTOBER 07: Buster Posey #28 of the San Francisco Giants hits a single in the fourth inning against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on October 7, 2016 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
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CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - OCTOBER 07: Buster Posey #28 of the San Francisco Giants hits a single in the fourth inning against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on October 7, 2016 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
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CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - OCTOBER 07: Angel Pagan #16 of the San Francisco Giants hits a double in the fourth inning against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on October 7, 2016 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
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CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - OCTOBER 07: Conor Gillaspie #21 of the San Francisco Giants is picked off at first base in the third inning against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on October 7, 2016 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Stacey Revere/Getty Images)
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CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - OCTOBER 07: Johnny Cueto #47 of the San Francisco Giants walks to the dugout before the game against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on October 7, 2016 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Stacey Revere/Getty Images)
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CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - OCTOBER 07: Johnny Cueto #47 of the San Francisco Giants hits a sacrifice bunt in the third inning against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on October 7, 2016 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Stacey Revere/Getty Images)
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CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - OCTOBER 07: Johnny Cueto #47 of the San Francisco Giants pitches in the first inning against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on October 7, 2016 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
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CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - OCTOBER 07: Johnny Cueto #47 of the San Francisco Giants pitches in the first inning against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on October 7, 2016 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
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CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - OCTOBER 07: Addison Russell #27 of the Chicago Cubs tags out Gorkys Hernandez #66 of the San Francisco Giants during a steal attempt in the first inning at Wrigley Field on October 7, 2016 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
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Madison Bumgarner #40 of the San Francisco Giants celebrates their 3-0 victory over the New York Mets in the locker room after their National League Wild Card game at Citi Field on Oct. 5, 2016, in New York City.
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NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 05: Conor Gillaspie #21 of the San Francisco Giants celebrates with teammates Joe Panik #12 and Brandon Crawford #35 after hitting a three-run homerun in the ninth inning against the New York Mets during their National League Wild Card game at Citi Field on October 5, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
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NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 05: Madison Bumgarner #40 of the San Francisco Giants celebrates their 3-0 win over the New York Mets during their National League Wild Card game at Citi Field on October 5, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
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NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 05: Conor Gillaspie #21 of the San Francisco Giants runs the bases as he celebrates his three-run homerun in the ninth inning against the New York Mets during their National League Wild Card game at Citi Field on October 5, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
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NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 05: Conor Gillaspie #21 of the San Francisco Giants hits a three-run homerun in the ninth inning against the New York Mets during their National League Wild Card game at Citi Field on October 5, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
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NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 05: Conor Gillaspie #21 of the San Francisco Giants hits a three-run homerun in the ninth inning against the New York Mets during their National League Wild Card game at Citi Field on October 5, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
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NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 05: Conor Gillaspie #21 celebrates with third base coach Roberto Kelly #39 of the San Francisco Giants as he runs the bases after hitting a three-run homerun in the ninth inning against the New York Mets during their National League Wild Card game at Citi Field on October 5, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
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NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 05: Conor Gillaspie #21 of the San Francisco Giants hits a three-run homerun in the ninth inning against the New York Mets during their National League Wild Card game at Citi Field on October 5, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
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NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 05: Denard Span #2 of the San Francisco Giants steals second against Jose Reyes #7 of the New York Mets in the fifth inning during their National League Wild Card game at Citi Field on October 5, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
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NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 05: Angel Pagan #16 of the San Francisco Giants reacts after hitting a single in the seventh inning against the New York Mets during their National League Wild Card game at Citi Field on October 5, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
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NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 05: Denard Span #2 of the San Francisco Giants hits a single in the sixth inning during their National League Wild Card game at Citi Field on October 5, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
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NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 05: Denard Span #2 of the San Francisco Giants hits a single in the sixth inning during their National League Wild Card game at Citi Field on October 5, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
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NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 05: Hunter Pence #8 of the San Francisco Giants bats in the seventh inning against the New York Mets during their National League Wild Card game at Citi Field on October 5, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
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NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 05: Madison Bumgarner #40 of the San Francisco Giants pitches against the New York Mets during their National League Wild Card game at Citi Field on October 5, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
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NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 05: T.J. Rivera #54 of the New York Mets is caught in a rundown by Joe Panik #12 and Brandon Crawford #35 of the San Francisco Giants in the fifth inning during their National League Wild Card game at Citi Field on October 5, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
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SAN FRANCISCO, CA - OCTOBER 10: Madison Bumgarner #40 of the San Francisco Giants reacts after allowing a three-run home run to Jake Arrieta #49 of the Chicago Cubs during Game Three of their National League Division Series at AT&T Park on October 10, 2016 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
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SAN FRANCISCO, CA - OCTOBER 10: Madison Bumgarner #40 of the San Francisco Giants speaks with Buster Posey #28 during Game Three of their National League Division Series against the Chicago Cubs at AT&T Park on October 10, 2016 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
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SAN FRANCISCO, CA - OCTOBER 10: Madison Bumgarner #40 of the San Francisco Giants reacts after allowing a three-run home run to Jake Arrieta #49 of the Chicago Cubs during Game Three of their National League Division Series at AT&T Park on October 10, 2016 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
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SAN FRANCISCO, CA - OCTOBER 10: Madison Bumgarner #40 of the San Francisco Giants speaks with Buster Posey #28 and pitching coach Dave Righetti #19 during Game Three of their National League Division Series against the Chicago Cubs at AT&T Park on October 10, 2016 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
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SAN FRANCISCO, CA - OCTOBER 10: Buster Posey #28 of the San Francisco Giants hits an RBI single in the third inning during Game Three of their National League Division Series against the Chicago Cubs at AT&T Park on October 10, 2016 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
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SAN FRANCISCO, CA - OCTOBER 10: Denard Span #2 of the San Francisco Giants scores on an RBI single by Buster Posey #28 in the third inning during Game Three of their National League Division Series against the Chicago Cubs at AT&T Park on October 10, 2016 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
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SAN FRANCISCO, CA - OCTOBER 10: Denard Span #2 of the San Francisco Giants hits a double in the third inning against the Chicago Cubs during Game Three of their National League Division Series at AT&T Park on October 10, 2016 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
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SAN FRANCISCO, CA - OCTOBER 10: Denard Span #2 of the San Francisco Giants celebrates after hitting a double in the third inning against the Chicago Cubs during Game Three of their National League Division Series at AT&T Park on October 10, 2016 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
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SAN FRANCISCO, CA - OCTOBER 10: Madison Bumgarner #40 of the San Francisco Giants thows a pitch against the Chicago Cubs during Game Three of their National League Division Series at AT&T Park on October 10, 2016 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
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SAN FRANCISCO, CA - OCTOBER 10: Hunter Pence #8 of the San Francisco Giants reacts after flying out to right field in the third inning against the Chicago Cubs during Game Three of their National League Division Series at AT&T Park on October 10, 2016 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
Bumgarner took a 24-inning postseason scoreless streak into the second, and he barely made it back to the dugout. Addison Russell was hit by a pitch and Javier Baez worked a deep count before reaching on an infield single to third. Miguel Montero helped Bumgarner, lining out to right on the first pitch, but opposing pitcher Jake Arrieta made sure the rally didn’t go to waste.
With two strikes, Bumgarner and Buster Posey tried to run a fastball past Arrieta at the letters. It came in at 92 mph and caught too much of the plate. It went out at 106 mph, landing in the second row of the left field bleachers.
When Bumgarner wanted to participate in the Home Run Derby in July, Arrieta told reporters that he should get a shot as well, saying, “He can hit the ball a long way, but I can too.” He proved his point on the biggest stage, and he continued a remarkable run for his pitching staff. When Arrieta’s fifth career homer hit the seats, the Cubs’ pitchers had driven in six runs in the series and the Giants had scored just two.
George Kontos started warming up in the second and again in the third, but Bumgarner stranded a pair in both innings. Posey got the Giants on the board with a single in the bottom of the third and Hunter Pence appeared to have another RBI, but Ben Zobrist tracked his two-out fly ball down as he drifted in front of the 421-feet sign in right-center.
The Giants inched closer in the fifth, when Denard Span tripled and scored on a deep sacrifice fly by Brandon Belt. The nail biter then rolled into the late innings.
Derek Law stranded a runner in the sixth, ending the inning with a strikeout of Dexter Fowler. The rookie pumped his fist repeatedly and screamed, and he came back out for a scoreless seventh.
Arrieta went an inning longer than Bumgarner, getting through a perfect sixth thanks to a spectacular play by Baez at second and curious call by the replay umpires in New York. He turned the ball over to a bullpen that had not allowed a run in 32 1/3 innings against the Giants coming into Game 3.
The Giants still trailed 3-2 heading into the eighth, but Belt hit a leadoff single and Posey drew a walk. Joe Maddon called for Chapman, who was dominant in the first two games of the series but had just one prior six-out save. He would record just one out.
Pence struck out, but Conor Gillaspie, the wild-card hero, smoked a 101 mph fastball into Triples Alley, giving the Giants the lead as AT&T Park shook. Crawford provided a huge insurance run, hitting another 101 mph missile right back up the middle.
The lead would last just a few minutes, as a season-long problem popped up again in the ninth. Romo opened the ninth with a walk of Dexter Fowler and then floated a slider right down the middle to Kris Bryant, the likely MVP. He hit a high fly ball that landed right on top of the Chevron cartoon car in left field and skipped into the seats, tying the game.
Belt walked with one out in the bottom of the ninth and broke for home on Posey’s liner to the right-field corner, only to be doubled off when Albert Almora made a diving catch on the warning track. Panik reached second in the 11th, but Trevor Brown, the last position player on Bochy’s bench, and Span grounded out.
The Cubs threatened in the 12th, with two singles against Ty Blach, who was put on the roster in large part because Bruce Bochy remembered how Yusmeiro Petit saved Game 2 of the 2014 NLDS. The rookie got David Ross to hit into an inning-ending double play.
