SAN FRANCISCO – On paper, Jay Bruce’s botched attempt to catch Angel Pagan’s fly to right field in the ninth inning Sunday will officially be scored an RBI double because he never touched the ball. Bruce would rather the blame be placed on him.

“It should be an error,” he said.

Bruce misplayed Pagan’s game-ending fly with two outs in the ninth, handing the San Francisco Giants a four-game series split with a 4-3 victory over the Cincinnati Reds.

“It’s tough to play here, but that’s not an excuse,” Bruce said. “You get to play here and so does everyone else. Your job is to catch the ball, and I didn’t. It’s embarrassing. It’s a really, really tough way to lose. We battled back, worked our butts off to get back and then that happens. It’s a tough one to swallow.”

Only in San Francisco.

Buster Posey poked a pitch from Jose Arredondo (4-2) down the right-field line that bounced into the stands for a two-out double for his third hit. Then Pablo Sandoval was walked intentionally to set the stage for a wild finish.

The crowd groaned when Bruce ran under Pagan’s fly ball to right until those whipping winds along the bay carried the ball over Bruce’s head near the 24-foot brick wall as he lost his footing.

CUBS 3, ASTROS 0: In Chicago, Travis Wood pitched shutout ball into the eighth inning, Anthony Rizzo hit a go-ahead single and Chicago completed a three-game sweep.

Before the game, Houston first baseman Carlos Lee said he was still undecided on whether he will accept a trade to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

NATIONALS 8, BRAVES 4: In Atlanta, Ryan Zimmerman homered and drove in four runs and Gio Gonzalez scuffled for his sixth straight road victory as Washington weathered 105-degree heat.

CARDINALS 5, PIRATES 4: In St. Louis, Allen Craig homered for the second time in three days and All-Star Yadier Molina also connected as St. Louis avoided getting swept.

MARLINS 5, PHILLIES 2: In Miami, Ricky Nolasco pitched seven strong innings, Hanley Ramirez hit a two-run home run, and Miami completed its first three-game sweep of Philadelphia since Aug. 7-9, 2009.

BREWERS 2, DIAMONDBACKS 1: In Milwaukee, Carlos Gomez raced home on two throwing errors after he stole second base in the bottom of the ninth inning.

PADRES 2, ROCKIES 0: In Denver, Kip Wells tossed seven strong innings for his first win in nearly three years, and Chris Denorfia and Alexi Amarista had two hits apiece for San Diego.

DODGERS 8, METS 3: In Los Angeles, James Loney had two RBI as Los Angeles snapped a seven-game losing streak.