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Zito goes eight strong as Giants edge Padres

Jul 8, 2011 - 6:46 AM San Francisco, CA (Sports Network) - Barry Zito was excellent over eight innings as the Giants earned a 2-1 win over the Padres to get a series split.

Zito (3-1) gave up one run -- on Ryan Ludwick's homer -- and four hits while striking out seven to win his third straight start since being activated from disabled list.

"He's throwing strikes," said Giants manager Bruce Bochy. "He's throwing any pitch at any time. You see him out there. He can't wait to get the ball and he's pitching with a lot of confidence."

Eli Whiteside homered and Pat Burrell knocked in the other run for the Giants, who improved to 25-12 in one-run games this season.

Cory Luebke (2-3) took the loss for the Padres, who had won 10 of 13 before dropping the final two meetings of this four-game set. Luebke was charged with two runs on five hits over six innings.

Afterward, he praised his opponent on the mound.

"He's evolved his game, that's for sure," said Luebke. "When he came up, he had a good fastball and a good curveball. But he's added a good changeup now and a good cutter. He's throwing 4 1/4 to five good quality pitches out there."

Whiteside's third-inning blast was the only offense from either side until Burrell stepped up with runners on the corners in the sixth and chopped a base hit to right. Miguel Tejada, who doubled off the third base bag earlier in the inning, scored the eventual game-winning run.

Ludwick, who struck out to leave a runner on third in the fourth, crushed the first pitch he saw in the eighth to halve the deficit.

The mammoth home run did not faze Zito, as the left-hander retired the final five hitters he faced. His performance came in a big spot for the Giants after they needed five relievers to pull out a 14-inning win on Wednesday.

Brian Wilson gave up a leadoff single in the ninth, but got a force out before inducing Chase Headley to bounce into a game-ending double play for his 25th save of the season.

The well-pitched battle last just two hours, 14 minutes.

Game Notes

This was Zito's longest outing since going eight innings against the Mets on July 16 last year...Giants third baseman Pablo Sandoval went 1-for-4 to extend his career-high hitting streak to 18 games...Luebke recorded eight strikeouts in a losing cause...Dating back to last season, 20 of the 24 games played between these teams have been decided by three runs or less...The Padres are 13-17 in one-run games...San Francisco's Bill Hall left the game in the fourth inning with a laceration on his left leg.