Cueto, Giants shut out Padres
SAN FRANCISCO -- Hunter Pence's towering fly ball fell between two San Diego Padres defenders in short right field with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning Monday night, scoring Brandon Belt from first base and giving the San Francisco Giants a 1-0 victory.
Pence was pinch-hitting for Johnny Cueto, who went the distance, allowing just two hits.
The win was the seventh straight for the Giants against the Padres this season and ninth in a row dating back to last season.
Belt led off the ninth against the third Padres pitcher, left-hander Brad Hand, with a soft single to center field.
Two outs later, Pence skied a fly ball between Padres right fielder Matt Kemp and second baseman Alexi Amarista.
Kemp, who was playing deep, hustled in but never reached the ball until it had short-hopped off his body, allowing Belt to scamper home easily with the lone run.
Pence was credited with a double.
Coming off completing a 2-1 series win over the Chicago Cubs with a pair of wins over the weekend, the Giants have won 11 of 12, including two in a row by 1-0 counts.
Cueto's shutout was his second of the season, both of which have come against San Diego. He also had a 1-0 win over the Padres the last time they visited in April, although he allowed seven hits in his nine innings that time around.
Cueto (7-1) struck out six and did not walk a batter Monday in becoming the first Giant since Jason Schmidt in 2004 to win at least seven of his first 10 starts of a season.
The only hits Cueto allowed were a fourth-inning single by Kemp after he retired the first 11 Padres in order, and a two-out single by Amarista in the eighth.
Amarista's hit put the only Padre of the game in scoring position, as it followed Cueto having hit Alexei Ramirez with a pitch on the forearm.
With runners on first and third, Cueto went to a full count on pinch hitter Yangervis Solarte before striking him out looking.
Cueto lowered his ERA to 2.38.
For most of the night, Cueto matched pitches with Padres left-hander Drew Pomeranz, who left after seven innings in a scoreless game.
Pomeranz continued a brilliant May with seven shutout innings, allowing only two hits. He walked four and struck out four.
The seven shutout innings improved his May ERA to 0.87 in five starts and lowered his ERA for the season to 1.70, third best in the National League behind the Chicago Cubs' Jake Arrieta (1.29) and Los Angeles Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw (1.48).
The Padres opened an eight-game trip.
NOTES: After using six relievers for a total of 12 innings Sunday, the Padres added a reinforcement to the bullpen Monday by promoting LHP Keith Hessler from Triple-A El Paso. Starter RHP Colin Rea, who wasn't going to be used this week because of an off day on Thursday, was sent to El Paso to create a roster spot for Hessler. ... The Padres will need to make another move Tuesday when RHP Andrew Cashner (strained right hamstring) is expected to be activated from the disabled list and start Game 2 of the series. ... Giants RF Hunter Pence (strained right hamstring) had an MRI before the game and it revealed nothing more than a mild strain. He took batting practice in hopes of returning from a two-game absence, but returned to the clubhouse in some pain and was not in the starting lineup. ... Giants RHP Sergio Romo began a rehab stint at Triple-A Sacramento on Monday. The plan was for him to pitch five times in eight days before the club considers activating him from the DL next week.