by John Shea, Chronicle Staff Writer , The San Francisco Chronicle

With Thursday's 7-3 victory over the Diamondbacks, the Giants completed a three-game sweep to give them the National League's best home record, 52-29, then boarded their charter to San Diego for the final three games.

While an announcement isn't due until next week, The Chronicle learned that Sabean and Bochy will be re-signed and return next season. Contracts are in the process of being ironed out. For weeks, all signs pointed to extensions for the general manager and manager, but managing general partner Bill Neukom repeatedly said nothing would be finalized until after the season.

"We performed way better than expected," Aurilia said during an emotional postgame interview, following his in-game love-fest with fans. "I've known Brian for 15 years now, and I know he wants nothing more than to win. Bochy has won before, and he'll win again. With the supposed lack of talent we've had, they've done a great job. This team is talented and can only get better."

Lincecum, the face of the franchise, said he wants Bochy back "because I played under him and he gives me the freedom and gives a lot of players the freedom, and that has been a key to why we have been as good as we have been."

Lincecum yielded two runs on two hits, the first of which was Chad Tracy's fifth-inning single. After the first two batters reached in the eighth, Lincecum walked off to a standing ovation and raised his cap in appreciation. "I never took my hat off before. That was cool," Lincecum said.

Aurilia's moment was cooler. At 38, he's not in the Giants' 2010 plans, so Thursday was his farewell to Giants fans, who loudly cheered each at-bat and insisted on a curtain call after he flied out in the eighth. Aurilia went out to first base in the ninth but was replaced by Travis Ishikawa before the inning started, prompting another ovation.

"It was emotional with all the personal stuff - my dad Richard, who died in June, the DL stuff, not playing as much as I'd like," said Aurilia, his eyes watering. "I'm proud of the way the team played and the way I handled myself. I'm not going to any Hall of Fame or chasing any records. If it's about to end, then I'm OK with that."

Johnson, 46, pitched the ninth and retired Tracy on a groundout to end it, but he began walking back to the dugout as if the game were still in progress. When he looked up, he noticed teammates congratulating each other, so he U-turned for some high-fives.

"You can see relieving's not my gig," he said with a smile. "I guess they call that a senior moment, don't they?"

This is Sabean's 13th season as GM, Bochy's third as manager. He was 143-181 his first two years, but the 2009 Giants are 86-73, their first winning season in five years, thanks mostly to a rotation featuring Lincecum and Matt Cain.

Sabean helped rebuild a farm system that produced three-fifths of a highly regarded rotation, closer Brian Wilson, Pablo Sandoval and prospects Madison Bumgarner and Buster Posey. He recreated this year's bullpen and added Brad Penny late in the season, though his acquisitions of Freddy Sanchez and Ryan Garko didn't pay off.

Bochy, who came on board the year Barry Bonds broke Hank Aaron's homers record, guided this year's team to more wins than were generally expected.

Anatomy of a turnaround: The franchise's new approach paid off with its first winning season in five years. Page One

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