by The San Francisco Chronicle

The season opened April 7 with most prognosticators figuring the team would finish well out of playoff contention. The most dire forecasts had the team losing as many as 100 games.

Here's a month-by-month glance at what actually happened:

April W-L: 10-10

April 10-16: The Giants lose six straight, a streak during which they are outscored 42-14.

May W-L: 15-14

May 12: With the score 7-6 Nationals, two outs, two strikes and two aboard, Pablo Sandoval hits a walk-off homer - his first at any level of the game, he says - to take another step toward nationally recognized Panda-hood.

June W-L: 17-10

June 4: Randy Johnson earns the 300th win of his career, a milestone only 23 other pitchers have reached, on a rainy night in Washington, D.C.

July W-L: 14-13

July 10: Jonathan Sanchez, starting only because Johnson is injured, throws a no-hitter, the first by a Giant in 33 years. Sanchez's father, Sigfredo, is in the crowd at China Basin, witnessing a major-league start by his son for the first time.

July 14: Tim Lincecum 10-2, 2.33 starts the All-Star Game, just the second Giants pitcher to do so in 20 years. Matt Cain, finally sporting a W-L to match his ERA 10-2, 2.39, made the team but was sidelined after taking a ball off his elbow July 11.

August W-L: 16-12

Aug. 30: Edgar Renteria hits a come-from-behind grand slam to propel the Giants to a three-game home sweep of the Rockies and into a tie for the wild-card lead they never did take the lead outright.

Sept.-Oct. W-L: 16-15

Sept. 16: Down 4-0 to the Rockies at home, a string of Giants singles and an error make it 4-2 with men on second and third and no outs. But Renteria pops out, Randy Winn grounds out one run scoring and Nate Schierholtz strikes out. Rockies win 4-3, own a 3 1/2-game wild-card lead.

Sept. 24: Just as the glow was returning to fans' playoff hopes, Brian Wilson blows a save by giving up a ninth-inning two-run homer to the Cubs' Jeff Baker with two strikes and two outs.

Oct. 4: In the season finale, Sandoval homers in the 10th inning for his 25th home run and 90th RBI and Wilson closes it out with his 38th save in 45 chances as the Giants beat the Padres 4-3.

Final record: 88-74, fifth best in NL, eighth best in majors.

Giants averages are on Scoreboard B6

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