Cain Sharp, Giants Overcome 4 Errors To Beat Padres
SAN DIEGO (CBS / AP) -- Matt Cain struck out nine in seven innings to win his sixth straight start and Buster Posey, Angel Pagan and Gregor Blanco homered at Petco Park to lead the San Francisco Giants over the San Diego Padres 8-3 Thursday.
Ryan Theriot had four hits for the Giants, who committed four errors but won for the ninth time in 11 games.
Leading 4-3, Cain loaded the bases with no outs in the sixth on two singles and an error on third baseman Joaquin Arias. Cain escaped the jam by getting pinch-hitter Mark Kotsay to fly out to left and Cameron Maybin to hit into a double play.
Cain (7-2) allowed seven hits and three runs—none earned— while walking one.
San Francisco won two of three from the Padres (19-39), who have the worst record in the big leagues. San Diego also loaded the bases in the eighth and ninth, and failed to score. In the last two games, the Padres had the bases loaded four times—twice with no outs—and scored only one run.
Three of San Francisco's 15 hits were homers.
Posey hit a leadoff shot in the third off Padres newcomer Jason Marquis, driving a 2-0 pitch off the third-floor balcony of the Western Metal Supply Co. brick warehouse in the left-field corner for a 4-0 lead and his seventh homer.
Pagan extended his hitting streak to 15 games when he homered to right on a 3-2 pitch from Brad Brach with one out in the seventh. Melky Cabrera was aboard on a leadoff single.
Gregor Blanco hit a solo shot to right with two outs in the eighth off Alex Hinshaw. Blanco went 7 for 15 in the three-game series, with a homer, triple and two doubles, and he scored six runs.
San Francisco scored two runs off three hits and Marquis' throwing error in the first. Posey had an RBI single and Brandon Belt an RBI double.
Marquis (0-1) allowed four runs, two earned, on nine hits in six innings. He struck out six and walked one. Marquis was promoted from Double-A San Antonio. He signed a minor league contract on May 29. He started the season with Minnesota.
San Diego scored three unearned runs in the third, when the Giants committed two errors. Marquis hit a leadoff single and Maybin reached when Pagan, the center fielder, dropped his fly ball. Marquis scored on Yonder Alonso's one-out grounder when second baseman Theriot made an errant throw home and Chase Headley followed with a two-run double.
Headley and Everth Cabrera had three hits apiece for San Diego.
NOTES: To make room for Marquis, LHP Eric Stults was placed on the 15-day DL, retroactive to Tuesday, with a strained muscle in his shoulder. The Padres also transferred SS Jason Bartlett from the 15-day to the 60-day DL. Stults was hurt during a bullpen session. ... Reliever Andrew Cashner is scheduled to start in Stults' spot Saturday at Milwaukee. ... The Giants return home to host the Texas Rangers for three games. Friday night's scheduled starters are Matt Harrison (7-3, 4.37 ERA) for Texas and Barry Zito (5-2, 2.98) in a matchup of lefties. ... The Padres open a series at Milwaukee on Friday, when Edinson Volquez (2-5, 3.42) is scheduled to oppose RHP Shaun Marcum (4-3, 3.39).
(Copyright 2012 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
