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Cashner solid as Padres down Giants

Sep 21, 2014 - 6:52 AM San Diego, CA (SportsNetwork.com) - Andrew Cashner led with both his arm and his bat as the San Diego Padres defeated the San Francisco Giants, 3-2, in the second of a three-game set on Saturday.

Cashner (5-7), who tossed a two-hit shutout Monday against Philadelphia, surrendered two runs on four hits and one walk with seven strikeouts over eight-plus innings. The right-hander also reached base in all three of his at- bats, finishing with a triple, a single and a walk.

"I thought he was throwing the ball extremely well all night," Padres manager Bud Black said of Cashner. "He hadn't really been stressed."

Rene Rivera doubled twice and drove in two runs for San Diego, which has won three straight games.

Hunter Pence hit a solo homer and Gregor Blanco drove in a run for San Francisco, which holds a one-game lead over Pittsburgh for the top NL wild card spot.

Yusmeiro Petit (5-5) gave up three runs -- two earned -- on four hits and three walks over 5 1/3 frames.

"Sure, two tough losses this time of year," said Giants manager Bruce Bochy. "Come out and be ready to go tomorrow."

Petit ran into trouble in the third. Abraham Almonte hit a ground-rule double to start the frame and was replaced by pinch-runner Will Venable after he limped into second. Cashner worked a one-out walk before Yangervis Solarte hit a grounder to Joe Panik, whose throw sailed into left field, allowing Venable to score and Solarte to cruise into second.

Alexi Amarista walked to load the bases, but Petit struck out Jedd Gyorko and Yasmani Grandal to avoid further damage.

Cashner tripled with one out in the fifth, but Petit left him stranded after getting Solarte to fly out and Amarista to line out.

San Diego made it a 3-0 game in the sixth. Grandal hit a one-out double and Seth Smith was intentionally walked before Rivera's liner to center landed at the warning track for a two-run double. The Padres loaded the bases again, but Solarte grounded into a force out to end the frame.

Cashner retired 15 straight batters before Pence led off the ninth with a blast to left. Panik followed with a single to center. Kevin Quackenbush took the mound and retired one batter before Pablo Sandoval singled to left.

After Brandon Belt struck out for the second out, Blanco's liner to left on a full count brought in Panik and placed runners at the corners. Quackenbush, however, got Brandon Crawford to fly out to left for his fifth save of the season.

Game Notes

Cashner has now allowed two earned runs or fewer in a franchise-record 18 consecutive starts at home since June 11 of last season. Miami's Jose Fernandez has the longest such streak in the majors with 20 ... Almonte left the game with a left leg injury ... Cashner hit his first career triple ... San Diego leads the season series, 8-6.