San Francisco Giants Continue Streak, Winning Against San Diego Padres
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- Jeff Samardzija appreciates good defense as much as the next pitcher and he continues to marvel at some of the plays made behind him.
Brandon Crawford drove in four runs and Jarrett Parker homered to lead Samardzija and the streaking San Francisco Giants past the San Diego Padres 8-2 on Tuesday night.
Buster Posey and Denard Span each knocked in a run for the Giants, who have won four straight and 12 of 13.
Matt Kemp was thrown out twice on the bases by Giants outfielders, getting nailed by Parker at second on a throw from the left-field corner in the first inning and at third by a relay from Gregor Blanco to Joe Panik to Matt Duffy in the eighth.
"Any time you have a double and triple and turn them into outs, that's a big momentum change," Samardzija said. "You get rewarded for doing things the right way."
Parker, recalled from Triple-A earlier in the day, anticipated the bounce off the wall and came up throwing.
"I know he hit it hard and I knew it would ricochet right at me," he said. "You always have a chance."
John Jay homered for the Padres, who lost their third in a row and fell to 0-8 against the Giants this season. Hector Sanchez also drove in a run.
Samardzija (7-2) has won three consecutive decisions and six of seven after giving up a run and six hits over 6 2/3 innings. He struck out seven and walked three.
"It all came down to Jeff," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. "He threw the ball well again. Our defense is what has helped us in this roll we're on."
Andrew Cashner (2-4) came off the disabled list and gave the Padres a six-inning start. He allowed three runs and four hits, walked four and struck out one.
"He battled well. His ball-strike ratio probably wasn't what it normally is for him," Padres manager Andy Green said. "He typically commands the zone very, very well. I chalk that up to first time back on the mound in competition for 15 days."
Pitching with a 3-1 lead, Samardzija got the first two outs of the seventh and then gave up a hit to Alexei Ramirez and walked pinch-hitter Christian Bethancourt. Josh Osich came on and mishandled Jay's grounder to load the bases before getting Alexi Amarista to ground out.
Panik drew a walk to open the sixth and was sacrificed to second. Posey, a .400 hitter against Cashner, delivered a sharp liner into left field for a double that snapped a 1-all tie. Posey later scored on Crawford's single.
Crawford's bases-loaded triple and Parker's two-run homer in the eighth against Keith Hessler broke it open.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Padres: 1B Wil Myers was given the night off after feeling some tightness in his left forearm during Monday night's game. Green said Myers was available for late-game situations. ... RHP Kevin Quackenbush was optioned to Triple-A El Paso to make room for Cashner. ... LHP Matt Thornton pitched a scoreless inning for Class A Lake Elsinore in a rehab assignment and could join the team in Arizona.
Giants: OF Angel Pagan went on the 15-day disabled list with a left hamstring strain. He reinjured it running out a grounder in the eighth inning Monday night. "I felt it just before I got to first base," Pagan said. "It's a setback and now I want to give it all the time it needs to recover." ... RHP Sergio Romo allowed a home run and struck out three in a rehab outing Monday. He's scheduled to pitch again Wednesday and Friday.
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