Giants 4, Padres 2
SAN DIEGO -- Center fielder Angel Pagan's two-run homer lifted the San Francisco Giants past the San Diego Padres, 4-2, on Tuesday night.
Pagan's blast in the seventh inning extended the Giants' lead after shortstop Brandon Crawford's two-out RBI single in the sixth.
The Giants gained ground on the NL West-leading Dodgers and trail Los Angeles by six games.
San Francisco beat the Padres for the sixth straight time and in eight of the past nine games. San Diego fell 11 games under .500 as it dropped its eighth contest in 11 outings.
George Kontos (4-2), who pitched 1 2/3 innings in relief of starter Chris Heston, got the win. Santiago Casilla worked the ninth for his 35th save in 40 chances.
Tyson Ross (10-11) went six innings and surrendered two runs on four hits and two walks. He tied a career high with 11 strikeouts and ran his season total to a career-best 205.
Pinch-hitter Brett Wallace's home run pulled the Padres to within 4-2 in the seventh. It was Wallace's major-league high fourth pinch-hit homer on the year.
Pagan's homer, his third, came after pinch-hitter Jarrett Parker reached on a walk.
Second baseman Cory Spangenberg's home run in the sixth inning pulled the Padres to within 2-1.
The Giants increased their advantage to 2-0 on Crawford's run-scoring single, after left fielder Alejandro De Aza walked and stole second.
Giants right fielder Marlon Byrd opened the fifth with a single but was erased on second baseman Kelby Tomlinson's double-play grounder. After , Giants second baseman Ehire Adrianza walked, catcher Trevor Brown delivered his first major league hit, an RBI double that one-hopped the center field fence for a 1-0 San Francisco lead.
Ross, who struck out the first four batters he faced, made Padres history in the third inning when he retired Brown looking. It was Ross' sixth strikeout of the game and his career-high 200th of the season.
He joined James Shields to become the first set of Padres teammates to have 200 strikeouts in a season. Ross is the sixth pitcher in franchise history to reach 200 strikeouts, something that was done on eight occasions. Jake Peavy accomplished the feat three times.
NOTES: The Padres started their final homestead, which lasts nine games. ... San Diego RHP Shawn Kelley, who hadn't pitched since Sept. 1 due to a strained right forearm, was available Tuesday night. He pitched the eighth inning, giving up one hit and striking out three ... Padres RHP Josh Johnson has not yet decided when to have elbow surgery. ... Giants C Buster Posey (hip) was a late scratch from the lineup. He is expected to play Wednesday. ... San Francisco OF Juan Perez (oblique) isn't likely to play again this year, manager Bruce Bochy said. ... Giants 1B Brandon Belt wasn't with the club, as he was undergoing concussion tests.