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Friars rely on Sullivan against Giants

Jul 12, 2013 - 2:54 PM (Sports Network) - San Diego native Sean O'Sullivan said starting Friday night's game for the Padres is a dream come true.

The San Francisco Giants will try to make it more of a nightmare when the two clubs resume a four-game series at Petco Park.

The 25-year-old O'Sullivan grew up rooting for the Padres and signed with the ball club on Dec. 11 of last year after spending his first three seasons with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and Kansas City Royals. He has not pitched in a major league game since Sept. 27, 2011 with the Royals.

O'Sullivan went 7-4 with a 3.88 earned run average in 18 starts with Triple-A Tucson after going just 2-6 with a 7.25 ERA in 12 games with the Royals in 2011. He will now look to make an impression with his hometown club.

"A dream come true is the only way I can describe it," O'Sullivan told San Diego's website on Thursday. "I always dreamt as a little kid about putting this uniform on, so it's a special day."

O'Sullivan faced the Giants in his major league debut on June 16, 2009 with the Angels and secured a victory by allowing one run over seven innings of work.

San Francisco will send Chad Gaudin to the mound for his sixth start of the season and second since a stint on the disabled list because of a bruised upper forearm.

In his first action since June 20, the right-hander did not factor into a 4-1 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday. Gaudin did his part, yielding just a run on four hits and a walk in seven innings while striking out a season- high nine.

The 30-year-old is 2-1 with a 2.44 ERA in 23 total appearances and has a 2.86 ERA in his first starts. He is 1-0 lifetime versus the Padres with a save and 1.72 ERA in eight meetings (1 start).

The Giants logged a much-needed win in Thursday's opener, using a two-run eighth inning to pick up a 4-2 victory over the Padres. Gregor Blanco drove in Kensuke Tanaka for the go-ahead run with a ground-rule double and he later scored on a Buster Posey single.

Blanco had three hits and Pablo Sandoval homered for the first time since May 21 while scoring twice for the Giants, who had lost four straight and eight of nine coming in. The defending champs sit 6 1/2 games out of first place in the NL West.

Madison Bumgarner allowed a pair of runs in the opening frame, but settled down to retire 20 of the final 21 batters he faced over a seven-inning start. He won his 10th game of the season.

"Early, he was getting under the ball and leaving pitches up. But he made a nice adjustment and gave us seven solid innings in a much, much-needed win," said Giants manager Bruce Bochy.

Carlos Quentin and Kyle Blanks each drove in a run for the Padres, though Blanks only managed to drive in Chase Headley with one out and the bases loaded on a fielder's choice. Logan Forsythe then made the final out of the inning to end the threat.

"That was our best opportunity to really stretch that lead," said San Diego manager Bud Black. "(Bumgarner's) a really good pitcher and you have to take advantage of what he gives you. We did a decent job of that there, but we just couldn't get the big hit."

Jason Marquis started on the mound and gave up two runs on seven hits in 5 1/3 innings for the Padres, who have lost 12 of their last 13.

The Giants took two of three from the Padres when these teams last met on June 17-19, although that was the last time San Francisco won a series. The Giants are just 4-16 since.