Giants 1 - 2 Padres
Final
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Giants send Cain to hill, open set with Padres

Apr 18, 2014 - 1:19 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - Three-time All-Star Matt Cain will try to collect his first victory of the 2014 season, as the San Francisco Giants begin a three- game set against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park.

In his last appearance, Cain failed to notch his inaugural win of the campaign despite allowing only one run on four hits to the Rockies. The Giants posted a season-low of three hits and the contest remains the only instance they have been shutout this season. Although he recorded a quality start, Cain took blame for his most recent shortcoming.

"I was throwing a lot of strikes and moving the ball around a good bit," Cain said. "Seems like that's how it goes. You make a leadoff walk and I did a bad job of paying attention to him on second. That's what cost us."

Cain, who owns a 4.00 ERA after three starts, has not received great run support versus the Padres in the past. He is 7-11 with a 3.15 ERA in 31 career starts against San Diego.

The Giants had a three-game winning streak come to an end on Thursday with a 2-1 home loss to the Dodgers. Ehire Adrianza went 3-for-3 and with an RBI single to account for the team's only run. Angel Pagan, who is batting a team- best .377, did not start, but went 0-for-1 in a pinch-hit appearance. Brandon Belt scored the only run and finished 1-for-4, which dropped his average to .297.

San Francisco's offense has produced 72 runs to rank seventh among MLB clubs. It will look to bounce back versus Tyson Ross.

The Padres' right-hander earned his first victory of the season on Sunday after he limited Detroit to one run on six hits with seven strikeouts over seven innings. Ross displayed a noticeable improvement to his mechanics as he lowered his ERA to 3.12 during the course of the impressive outing.

"Definitely a step in the right direction," Ross said after walking only one batter in the contest.

This will be the sixth start for Ross against the Giants. He is 3-2 with a 4.50 ERA versus San Francisco in his career.

San Diego lost for the second time in three games on Thursday, dropping a 3-1 decision to Colorado at home. The Padres had not lost in four games this season when leading after six innings before allowing the Rockies to take control in the top half of the seventh last night.

Padres third baseman Chase Headley (strained right biceps) was out of the starting lineup for a second straight day, but singled as a pinch hitter in the eighth inning.

"We let one slip through our fingers today," said outfielder Chris Denorfia, who paced San Diego's offense by going 2-for-4.

Xavier Nady delivered a solo home run in the loss.

The Padres have won only one out of the five series they have played this season. San Francisco has picked up four wins in its five series so far.






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