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Lincecum, Giants edge Braves

May 3, 2014 - 3:38 AM Atlanta, GA (SportsNetwork.com) - Angel Pagan and Michael Morse homered, and Tim Lincecum spun six strong innings, and the San Francisco Giants edged the Atlanta Braves, 2-1, on Friday in the opener of a three-game set at Turner Field.

Pagan led off the game with his third homer of the season, while Morse stroked his seventh of the year with one out in the sixth to provide just enough run support for Lincecum (2-1), who limited the Braves to one run on six hits and three walks with four strikeouts.

"I was just trying to get in a good rhythm," Lincecum said. "Today it turned out pretty good."

With Lincecum done after six frames, Jeremy Affeldt and Santiago Casilla combined to keep Atlanta off the board over the next two innings before Sergio Romo stranded the tying run at second in the ninth to secure his eighth save of the season.

Atlanta's Mike Minor (0-1), who had been dealing with left shoulder tendinitis, made his first start of the season and took the hard-luck loss after giving up both runs on seven hits with four strikeouts over six innings.

"He gave up a couple of solo home runs, but other than that he threw the ball really well for his first time out," Atlanta catcher Gerald Laird said of Minor. "If he continues to pitch like that all year, he's going to win a lot of games."

Jason Heyward registered three of the eight hits for the Braves, who have lost a season-high four straight games.

Minor's season debut got off to an inauspicious start, as Pagan sent the left- hander's second pitch of the game over the wall in left.

The Braves finally broke through against Lincecum in the fifth, which started with Laird working a walk. After Minor struck out on a foul bunt, Heyward singled and Freddie Freeman followed two batters later with a base hit to right, scoring Laird from second.

San Francisco answered swiftly in the sixth, as Morse scorched a one-out blast into the seats in right to restore the visitors' one-run edge.

Atlanta left a runner in scoring position in each of the next two frames before Casilla spun a perfect eighth to maintain San Francisco's slim lead.

In the ninth, Romo retired the first two hitters, but served up a single to B.J. Upton before walking Freeman. However, Romo caught Justin Upton staring at strike three to end the game and secure San Francisco's third straight win and seventh in eight contests.

Game Notes

The Giants have homered in nine straight games, their longest such streak since Sept. 23-Oct. 3, 2010 when the club homered in 10 straight games ... San Francisco's Buster Posey went 0-for-4, snapping his string of 14 straight games with a hit against Atlanta ... The Giants improved to 13-1 when scoring first ... Minor fell to 2-1 in five career starts against the Giants ... The Braves finished 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position and left 12 men on base ... Atlanta last lost four straight games from Sept. 4-8, 2013.