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Giants fall to Cubs again, lose ground in NL West

Aug 31, 2011 - 5:42 AM San Francisco, CA (Sports Network) - Matt Garza pitched effectively into the seventh, and Alfonso Soriano homered and knocked in two runs as the Chicago Cubs upended the struggling San Francisco Giants, 5-2.

Matt Garza (7-10) was charged with two runs on nine hits in 6 2/3 innings for the Cubs, who have taken the first two meetings in this three-game set on the heels of a four-game skid.

Ryan Vogelsong (10-5) lasted just five frames after surrendering three runs on seven hits to take the loss, the fourth in his last five outings.

The Giants recorded nine hits, though only one went for extra bases. They have lost 21 of their last 30, falling from their perch atop the NL West standings to six games back of the front-running Diamondbacks.

"We're digging ourselves a big hole to get out of," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said.

Soriano hit a mammoth solo home run in the second inning, crushing the ball onto the concourse beyond the seats in left-center field.

"If you make a mistake, you're going to pay for it against them," Bochy added.

Starlin Castro tripled leading off the third and scored on a Darwin Barney sacrifice fly, and three straight singles, the last from Soriano, made it 3-0 later in the frame.

The Giants got on the board in the fifth when Jeff Keppinger slapped a double the other way to right to knock in Mike Fontenot, but Carlos Beltran fouled out to leave two in scoring position.

Geovany Soto doubled in a pair in the Cubs' seventh, and Keppinger knocked in another one in the bottom half for a 5-2 game. Beltran again had a chance to pull the hosts closer, but Sean Marshall induced an inning-ending fielder's choice to strand a pair.

Marshall and Kerry Wood combined for a scoreless eighth, and Carlos Marmol closed it out in the ninth to post his 31st save.

Game Notes

The Cubs went 6-3 in August series after a 1-7 run in July...Keppinger went 3- for-5 in defeat...Garza also had two hits in four at-bats...Barney was the only Cubs starter who failed to record a hit...Castro committed his 23rd error of the season in the eighth.