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Huff ties it off Bell, Giants beat Padres in extras

Jul 15, 2011 - 6:22 AM San Diego, CA (Sports Network) - Pablo Sandoval extended his hitting streak to 22 games and his two-run single highlighted a five-run 12th inning in a 6-2 victory over the San Diego Padres.

Heath Bell came in to close the game for the Padres in the ninth inning, but Aubrey Huff crushed a lead-off homer to right field.

Luke Gregerson walked Mike Fontenot with the bases full in the 12th to force in the go-ahead run, as the NL West leaders kicked off this four-game series with their fifth victory in six games.

Sandoval, who singled on a first pitch from Aaron Harang in the opening inning, has the longest hitting streak for the Giants since Jack Clark's San Francisco era record 26-game stretch from June 30-July 25, 1978.

Giants starter Madison Bumgarner allowed seven hits through six innings, while Harang gave up five in seven frames.

Cameron Maybin and Jason Bartlett each had two hits for the Padres, but the cellar-dwellers in the division suffered their sixth straight defeat, tying a season-high.

Bell raced in from the bullpen to start the ninth, but the right-hander surrendered his first homer all season, when Huff got hold of an 0-2 pitch down and in and drove the ball over the wall in right field.

Cody Ross, who barely missed a homer just after Huff's at-bat in the ninth, walked to start the 12th against Gregerson (2-3). Brandon Crawford walked and Eli Whiteside put down a bunt toward the left side of the infield. Gregerson slipped trying to field the ball and everybody was safe.

The Padres, though, nearly got out of the inning unscathed as pinch-hitter Miguel Tejada fouled out and Andres Torres fanned. However, Fontenot walked on four pitches, with the last one barely outside. Sandoval singled sharply to left field for a 4-1 lead.

Nate Schierholtz singled to left field off Ernesto Frieri to account for another run, and Huff capped the rally with an RBI infield hit.

The Padres loaded the bases in their half of the 12th against Javier Lopez, but came away with just one run on a Will Venable sacrifice fly. That was the first batter Brian Wilson faced. The bearded-laden closer walked Chris Denorfia to load the bags again but retired Bartlett on a grounder back to the mound. That sealed Wilson's 27th save of the year.

Santiago Casilla (2-1) threw two innings to get the win.

Chase Headley singled in Denorfia in the third inning, but the Padres weren't able to capitalize in other key situations, leaving nine runners on base.

Game Notes

San Francisco took two of three from the Padres just before the All-Star break...Sandoval's hitting streak is approaching the highest-ever for a Venezuelan-born player. That's held by Detroit's Victor Martinez, 25 games during the 2009 season with Boston...This was the first time in 100 games that Bell has given up a homer and his first since April 19, 2010 against then- Giant Juan Uribe...Headley left the game in the eighth inning with a left ankle contusion.