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Padres rip Giants, avoid sweep

Aug 20, 2012 - 2:02 AM San Diego, CA (Sports Network) - Cameron Maybin finished 4-for-5 with three RBI as the San Diego Padres topped the San Francisco Giants, 7-1, in the finale of a three-game series.

Everth Cabrera added three hits and drove in two, while Will Venable homered for the Padres, who avoided the sweep and snapped a five-game losing skid thanks to a 16-hit attack.

Clayton Richard (10-12) tossed eight strong innings for the win, allowing five hits and one unearned run.

Hunter Pence doubled and knocked in the lone run for the Giants, who lost for the third time in their last eight. San Francisco dropped a half-game out of first place in the NL West, as Los Angeles won in Atlanta earlier Sunday.

Ryan Vogelsong (10-7) lasted just three-plus frames thanks to throwing 96 pitches, charged for eight hits and three runs and a walk despite striking out seven.

"My stuff was OK today," Vogelsong said. "Once again, I can't control where the ball goes after it comes out of my hand."

San Diego gave Richard all the offense he needed in a three-run first. Venable kicked it off with a one-out single, stole second and came home on a two-out hit by Carlos Quentin. Yonder Alonso followed with a base hit and Alexi Amarista walked to load the bases, setting up a two-run single from Maybin.

"From Vogelsong's shoes, that's not a great way to start a game," Padres manager Bud Black said.

The Giants picked up their sole run in the next frame. Venable misplayed a Buster Posey liner, allowing the catcher to reach second, then a wild pitch advanced him to third before a Pence fly to center brought him in.

It was 5-1 for the hosts in the fifth on an RBI single from Maybin and a two- run double from Cabrera.

Venable capped the scoring with a solo shot -- his eighth homer of the season -- in the home eighth.

Following San Francisco's second inning, Richard did not allow a runner past second for the duration of his start. Angel Pagan was stranded there in the third, then three additional Giants didn't advance beyond first base through the eighth.

Cory Burns left men on the corners in the ninth by fanning Gregor Blanco to end the game.

Game Notes

Richard has won three of his last four starts ... His one strikeout tied a season low, accomplished on May 11 at Philadelphia, June 6 against the Giants and August 14 in Atlanta ... Maybin's four hits were a season high, his most since a 4-hit performance on July 21, 2011 at Miami ... Giants outfielder Melky Cabrera, who was suspended 50 games by MLB earlier this week for a positive drug test, came under further suspicion after the revelation on Sunday that an associate created a fake web site from which Cabrera attempted to assert he bought the substance which caused the positive test.