Jackson, Cueto Help Giants Split Doubleheader – First 8-3, Second 6-15
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- Austin Jackson hit a go-ahead three-run double in the fifth inning, Johnny Cueto won his third consecutive decision and the San Francisco Giants beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 8-3 for a split of their doubleheader Saturday.
In the first game, Chase Utley hit three doubles and a single as the Los Angeles did damage against every San Francisco pitcher except emergency reliever Pablo Sandoval and routed the Giants 15-6 after losing Yasiel Puig to an injured foot and hip earlier in the day.
It was almost the complete opposite in the nightcap, although the statistics weren't nearly as gaudy.
The Giants got nine hits and strung four of them together in the fifth to erase a two-run deficit.
Brandon Belt, Kelby Tomlinson and Brandon Crawford hit consecutive one-out singles off Dodgers starter Alex Wood (0-3) before Jackson doubled to left to drive in all three. Belt added an RBI single in the sixth.
Evan Longoria and Kelby Tomlinson drove in two runs apiece in the seventh when San Francisco batted around.
Cueto (3-0) yielded a two-run home run to Corey Seager in the first but settled down to go six mostly crisp innings. Cueto struck out three, walked two and 16 of the final 18 he faced.
Four relievers combined to retire the final nine batters and complete the five-hitter.
The Dodgers had a season-high 21 hits in the opener including leadoff man Chris Taylor's fourth home run but couldn't solve Sandoval, who worked a perfect ninth in his first major league pitching appearance. They also lost right fielder Yasiel Puig to a foot and hip injury after he ran into a wall.
Sandoval was summoned from third base to begin the ninth and retired three straight batters on grounders. The 2012 World Series MVP threw 11 pitches, helping preserve the Giants' bullpen for the second game. He also had a hit and an RBI.
Puig made a running one-handed catch and ran into a padded wall at AT&T Park while chasing down Nick Hundley's deep foul to end the first inning. He later fouled a ball off his foot while batting in the second inning and was scheduled to have X-rays.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Dodgers: OF Matt Kemp did not start either game after leaving Friday's contest with tightness in his left quad. He singled and scored as a pinch-hitter in the first game and grounded out as a pinch-hitter to end the second game.
Giants: 2B Joe Panik was placed on the 10-day disabled list with a sprained left thumb. ... OF Mac Williamson was put on the seven-day concussion list. ... Reliever Mark Melancon was transferred to the 60-day DL and RHP Derek Law was appointed as the 26th man for the doubleheader. ... OF Austin Slater was recalled from Triple-A Sacramento.
UP NEXT
Right-hander Kenta Maeda (2-1, 3.10 ERA) pitches the series finale for the Dodgers on Sunday while lefty Ty Blach (1-3, 4.31) goes for the Giants. The starting time of the game was pushed back to 2 p.m. PT because of Saturday's doubleheader.
