Barely an ember in September;Bruce Jenkins: The gods have spoken; it’s just not San Francisco’s year

The names spoke to the bizarre unpredictability of a pennantrace; Sands, Delgado, Theriot, Chambers. So many Septembers unfoldthis way, heroics rented out to the strangest tenants. For the Giants , Tuesday night left thestrong hint of an expiration date. The National League West race effectively ended, even withArizona losing to Pittsburgh 5-3. The Diamondbacks have a 51/2-game lead over the Giants with the season ending a weekfrom today, and that final showdown - a three-game series inArizona this weekend - no longer holds much promise. Even the 1964Phillies, those symbols of the choke job, didn't blow a lead thisbig in so short a time.