Giants 9, Padres 1
SAN FRANCISCO -- Right-hander Jake Peavy recorded his first-ever win over the team that drafted him 16 years ago Friday night, limiting the San Diego Padres to just two hits in seven innings in the San Francisco Giants' 9-1 victory.
The win in the opener of a nine-game homestand, coupled with the Los Angeles Dodgers' loss at Arizona, allowed the Giants (73-68) to creep within 7 1/2 games of the National League West leaders with 21 games to play.
Right fielder Marlon Byrd had three hits and second baseman Kelby Tomlinson scored three times for the Giants, who were coming off a 3-7 trip that sent them to the edge of elimination in their quest to repeat as World Series champions.
Peavy (6-6) gave up a second-inning home run to Padres left fielder Justin Upton, and then not another hit until Upton singled with two outs in the seventh, by which time the Giants had turned a 1-0 deficit into a 5-1 advantage.
Minor league call-up Jarrett Parker, pinch-hitting for Peavy, crushed a run-scoring, ground-rule double and third baseman Matt Duffy added a two-RBI single in a four-run seventh, after which the veteran turned over a 9-1 lead to the San Francisco bullpen.
In recording his third consecutive victory, Peavy allowed just the one run on two hits in his seven innings. He struck out two and did not walk a batter.
Peavy had been 0-1 with a 5.00 ERA in two career starts against his former club.
Every Giants starter, including Peavy, had at least one hit as San Francisco teed off on Padres right-hander Andrew Cashner (5-15) and three relievers for 14 hits.
Duffy and shortstop Ehire Adrianza had two hits apiece for the Giants, who still have four home games remaining against the first-place Dodgers.
The loss dropped the Padres (67-75) 1 1/2 games behind Arizona (68-73) in their duel for third place in the NL West.
San Diego, which totaled four hits off four Giants pitchers, was opening a nine-game trip on the heels of a 4-7 homestand.
After Upton's home run, his 25th of the season, opened the scoring in the second, the Giants rallied into a commanding position by scoring one run in the bottom of the second, two in the third and two in the fifth.
Consecutive inning-opening singles by left fielder Alejandro De Aza, third baseman Matt Duffy and catcher Buster Posey triggered the two-run, tiebreaking third.
Posey's single scored De Aza to give the Giants the lead, and one out later right fielder Marlon Byrd singled home Duffy for a 3-1 advantage.
Two-out RBI singles by shortstop Ehire Adrianza and Peavy produced the fifth-inning runs, increasing the San Francisco lead to 5-1 and also spelling the end of the night for Cashner.
Cashner allowed nine hits and five walks in his 4 2/3 innings, surrendering five runs. He struck out seven.
NOTES: Padres RHP Andrew Cashner became the 29th pitcher in franchise history to start a game on his birthday, his 29th. ... The game was the Padres' first of 15 straight against National League West competition. San Diego began the day with a 29-29 record against NL West teams, the second-best mark in the division. ... Padres LF Justin Upton, who missed Thursday's game against Colorado after having two ingrown toenails removed, returned to the starting lineup. ... The Giants play 16 of their final 22 games at home, the highest number of remaining home games in the NL ... The Giants reinstated RHP Matt Cain (nerve irritation in right elbow) from the 15-day disabled list before the game, and recalled OF Jarrett Parker from Triple-A Sacramento. ... Giants OF Gregor Blanco was diagnosed with a concussion Friday and did not play in the series opener.