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Rookie Banks superb as Padres top Giants

Jun 1, 2008 - 1:55 AM By Ryan McCrary PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

SAN FRANCISCO (Ticker) -- Josh Banks dazzled with a complete-game gem in just his second career start and the San Diego Padres erupted for a four-run first inning en route to a 5-1 win over the San Francisco Giants on Saturday.

In a meeting between two pitchers in search of their first career wins as starters, Banks (2-0) made the most of his inaugural start of the season for the Padres.

Claimed off waivers from Toronto on April 23, the 25-year-old righthander retired his first seven batters and needed just 83 pitches to get through eight scoreless innings.

"A great job on a day when we truly needed some length out of the starter," Padres manager Bud Black said. "To go a complete game is a tremendous effort.

"Hats off to Josh. He's got composure on the mound, a sense of what he's trying to do with each pitch and pitches his own game. He's got a variety of pitches, and he uses them all."

Banks allowed just six hits with five strikeouts and no walks, throwing 69 of his 101 pitches for strikes.

"I was able to get everything in there for strikes," Banks said. "I was able to get ahead early on, and fortunately, they were swinging later. I was just trying to go as long as I could because we had a 13-inning game last night."

San Francisco foiled the rookie's shutout bid with two outs in the ninth.

Jose Castillo singled and advanced to second on a fielding error with one out. Aaron Rowand hit a two-out single up the middle to plate Castillo, but it did not prevent the Giants from dropping their seventh straight at home.

"I've said this before - you always look flat when you don't hit," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. "Their guy pitched well. We just couldn't figure him out."

San Diego wasted no time getting on the scoreboard, capitalizing on some shoddy defensive play by San Francisco. The Padres sent nine batters to the plate, fueled by a pair of errors, and seized a 4-0 lead when Adrian Gonzalez slapped a two-run single and Justin Huber added an RBI double.

"It's always good when your pitcher bats in the first inning," Black said of the frame.

"Scoring four in the first was huge," Banks said. "It allowed me to throw strikes and keep them off-balance."

After an inauspicious beginning, Pat Misch (0-2) settled in and put together a solid outing in his 10th career start. The lefthander worked 6 1/3 innings, allowing five runs and seven hits while striking out four and walking three.

Misch seemed to be feeling the strain of not recording a win at the major league level in 26 career appearances.

"They hit some pretty good pitches in the first," Misch said. "I thought my control was there the whole game. You go out there every day and you battle. It's not like you're just gonna throw in the towel and say, 'I can't win anymore.'"

San Francisco threatened in the sixth, as rookie Emmanuel Burriss hit a leadoff single, stole second and advanced to third on Misch's sacrifice. However, Banks struck out Fred Lewis for the third time and then got Castillo to ground out, ending the threat.

Misch got into a jam in the seventh, issuing a one-out walk to Edgar Gonzalez and allowing a single by Brian Giles. Adrian Gonzalez then lined a hit up the middle, making it 5-0 and chasing Misch.