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Pence, Morse power Giants past Indians

Apr 26, 2014 - 6:50 AM San Francisco, CA (SportsNetwork.com) - Hunter Pence and Michael Morse each drove in two runs to back a stellar seven-inning start from Tim Hudson, as the San Francisco Giants downed the Cleveland Indians, 5-1, in the opener of a three-game set Friday at AT&T Park.

Pence ripped an RBI triple and scored on Morse's sacrifice fly in the first before adding a run-scoring single in the third. Morse, meanwhile, stroked a solo homer in the fourth for the Giants, who have won two straight.

"It was a no-doubter," San Francisco manager Bruce Bochy said of Morse's solo shot. "I guess that's why he's got the nickname the beast, because he's got unbelievable power. There's not a ballpark that can hold him, including this one."

Hudson (3-1) struck out five while limiting the Indians to one run on four hits and two walks to pick up the victory.

Cleveland starter Carlos Carrasco (0-3) yielded four runs on five hits and a walk over six frames to absorb the loss. Carrasco hasn't recorded a victory in 17 consecutive starts dating back to July 5, 2011, going 0-12 during that span.

Nick Swisher recorded two of Cleveland's five hits and plated the lone run for the Indians, who had won two straight and four of their last five games.

"I think we left eight or nine guys on base tonight," Swisher said. "I feel like that's kind of been our crutch as of late so we need to break out of that."

The Giants quickly jumped on Carrasco, as Angel Pagan opened the home half of the first with a single to center before scoring when Pence followed with a triple into the gap in right-center field.

After Brandon Belt fanned and Buster Posey walked, Morse plated Pence with a sac fly to right for a 2-0 lead.

Cleveland broke through in the third when Swisher followed Michael Bourn's one-out triple with a single to center, but the Giants answered in the bottom of the frame when Pagan led off with a single, stole second and scored on Pence's base hit to right.

Morse led off the fourth with a drive into the seats in right-center field before Pablo Sandoval opened the seventh with a triple off Josh Outman and scored when Brandon Crawford followed with a single to right for a 5-1 lead.

Game Notes

Hudson entered the game having not walked a batter in his 30 innings pitched this season, but issued a two-out free pass to Carlos Santana in the first inning ... Friday marked San Francisco's first game against a team outside the NL West ... Cleveland went 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position and left nine men on base ... Morse hit his sixth home run of the season.