• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers
• Game Tracker

Cain goes eight strong, Giants hang on in Atlanta

Aug 18, 2011 - 2:55 AM Atlanta, GA (Sports Network) - Matt Cain pitched eight brilliant innings and retired the final 18 batters he faced, and the Giants finally put together some hits in key situations to hold off the Braves, 7-5, at Turner Field.

Orlando Cabrera and Eli Whiteside had RBI singles during a four-run fourth inning and Pablo Sandoval drove in a pair of runs. Mike Fontenot went 3-for-5 and scored twice.

San Francisco lost by a run in each of the first two contests of this four- game series, but bounced back Wednesday by going 5-for-12 with runners in scoring position. The Giants struggled in those situations over their previous 25 games with a .153 average. In fact, they were just 2-for-21 over their last six contests. They had four sacrifice flies in Wednesday's game, including one from Cain.

Cain (10-9), who was the beneficiary of the offensive support, snapped a personal three-game slide. He allowed one unearned run, five hits and struck out nine batters. Cain is 2-1 with a 0.88 ERA over his last six road starts.

"We've had a couple of heartbreakers at the end the past two nights here," Cain said. "Coming off a bad skid at home, it seemed like everything accumulated. It was really nice for everybody to play relaxed and really go out there and kind of have fun."

The Giants pulled within 2 1/2 games of Arizona for first in the NL West.

Jair Jurrjens (12-5) had a rocky return from the disabled list. The right- hander, who had been out since August 2 with a strained right knee, was charged with eight hits and five runs over six innings. Jurrjens is now winless in his last five starts and hasn't won since July 6 against Colorado.

"I felt good, just leaving some pitches up," Jurrjens said. "The changeup wasn't doing anything today. I was a little rusty. No excuses, I have to make my adjustments and I did not."

Martin Prado had a two-run double in the ninth inning for the NL wild card- leading Braves, who lost for just the third time in 10 games.

The Giants had to hold on at the end despite holding a six-run lead. Giants closer Brian Wilson had his sore pitching elbow examined by Dr. James Andrews Wednesday and Jeremy Affeldt barely shut the door.

Dan Runzler started the frame, but gave up an RBI single to Jason Heyward. Affeldt was summoned from the bullpen. Michael Bourn then hit a soft pop fly behind the mound, but Cabrera dropped a potential game-ending basket catch. Julio Lugo scored on the play. Prado hit a one-hop double off the fence in center to bring the tying run to the plate, but Brian McCann struck out to end the game.

Fontenot and Sandoval put together back-to-back doubles in the opening inning, but Cain had trouble in the bottom half, loading the bases on a pair of singles and an error from Sandoval. The third baseman fielded a grounder from Dan Uggla, but missed tagging out Bourn and then threw late to first base. Cain fanned Freddie Freeman and walked Chipper Jones on four pitches to force in a run, but kept the game tied by retiring Jose Constanza on a line drive to left field.

McCann fanned to strand a pair of runners in the Atlanta second. Uggla doubled leading off the third, but was left at third.

The first five San Francisco batters reached base safely in the fourth. Aubrey Huff doubled, while Nate Schierholtz and Cabrera singled to give the visitors the lead. Brandon Belt walked to load the bases and Whiteside singled to left field. Cain and Cody Ross lofted consecutive sacrifice flies.

Sandoval and Huff added sac flies in the ninth inning.

Game Notes

The Braves announced the signing of veteran infielder Wes Helms Wednesday. He started his major league career in Atlanta...Tuesday night's starter, Randall Delgado, was optioned to Triple-A Gwinnett to open a roster spot for Jurrjens...Whiteside left in the seventh inning due to dizziness...The four sacrifice flies ties a San Francisco record, the last time accomplished September 14, 1988 at San Diego...The Giants have not lost a game this season in which they had a lead of at least three runs, going 32-0 in such contests.