SAN DIEGO — Angel Pagan‘s single broke a scoreless tie in the eighth and Jeff Samardzija struck out nine in seven innings for the San Francisco Giants, who beat the San Diego Padres 2-1 on Thursday night to keep pace with the New York Mets for the NL wild card lead.
The Mets and Giants took a half-game lead over the idle St. Louis Cardinals in the wild card race. New York beat Philadelphia 9-8 in 11 innings.
San Francisco came in trailing the Los Angeles Dodgers by six games in the NL West, with 10 to play.
The Giants faced a Padres lineup that included five rookies, three making their big league debut. The Giants snapped a six-game losing streak to the Padres, who have been their nemesis during their second-half skid. The Padres swept the Giants at San Francisco last week and in San Diego in the first series after the All-Star break. The Giants had swept the Padres three times in the first two months of the season.
Joe Panik, who had been in an 0-for-24 slump, doubled to right-centre opening the eighth against Christian Friedrich (5-11). His fly ball ticked off the end of rookie Hunter Renfroe’s glove, hit the ground and bounced over the fence. Kelby Tomlinson, pinch-hitting for Samardzija, singled to left to put runners on the corners and chase Friedrich. Brad Hand came on and induced Eduardo Nunez to hit into a force, with Panik holding at third. Pagan then hit a blooper that landed just fair and brought in Panik. Hunter Pence doubled with two outs to bring in Nunez.
Padres pinch-hitter Alex Dickerson homered off Derek Law with one out in the eighth.
Samardzija (12-10) allowed four hits in seven scoreless innings, and walked none. Samardzija got into trouble in the sixth when his throwing error allowed Friedrich to reach, followed by a single to right by Travis Jankowski. The Padres couldn’t capitalize, though, as Manuel Margot popped up to shortstop and Wil Myers and Ryan Schimpf struck out. Myers whiffed after hitting several long foul balls.
Sergio Romo pitched the ninth for his second save in as many chances. Schimpf doubled with one out before Renfroe popped up to first base and fellow rookie Carlos Asuaje grounded to short to end it.
Padres outfielders Renfroe and Margot, and second baseman Asuaje were making their first big league starts.
Renfroe, Margot, Asuaje and catcher Austin Hedges were called up Wednesday from Triple-A El Paso, which won the Pacific Coast League title before losing to International League champion Scranton-Wilkes-Barre in the Triple-A showdown on Tuesday night in Memphis. Renfroe and Asuaje made their big league debuts as pinch-hitters on Wednesday night while Margot made his as a pinch-runner. Hedges made his big league debut last year.
Renfroe singled to left for his first career hit in the second and then singled to centre in the fifth.
Padres reliever Jose Torres made his big league debut when he started the ninth.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Giants: Manager Bruce Bochy said RHP Johnny Cueto, who was forced out of his start Tuesday night with a strained groin, is improving and will try to throw on Friday. … Bochy said SS Brandon Crawford’s dislocated pinky on his glove hand was doing "a lot better. Yesterday he had a tough day. It was really sore." He’s throwing to keep in shape.
Padres: Manager Andy Green said RHP Colin Rea has begun throwing. He’s been shut down with an elbow injury.
UP NEXT
Rookie RHP Albert Suarez (3-4, 4.16) is scheduled to start Friday night for the Giants. He’s faced the Padres twice this season, including one start, and has allowed just one run in 6 2-3 innings.
