Cashner brilliant in Padres’ 3-2 win vs Giants

BERNIE WILSON
AP Sports Writer

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Andrew Cashner had pitched brilliantly into the ninth inning, yet punched the outside of his glove as he got to the dugout steps after manager Bud Black pulled him.

Cashner came within three outs of his second straight two-hit shutout before he allowed Hunter Pence’s home run and Joe Panik’s single, bringing out manager Bud Black with the hook. Cashner and the San Diego Padres held on to beat San Francisco 3-2 Saturday night to keep the Giants from gaining ground on the NL West-leading Los Angeles Dodgers.

“I wouldn’t say I was frustrated. I would say I was (mad) more than anything just because I’m better than that,” Cashner said. “To get a game in the ninth, you need a little more focus. I think I mislocated pitches.”

The Giants remain 3 1/2 games behind the Dodgers, who lost 8-7 at the Chicago Cubs. San Francisco remains one game ahead of Pittsburgh in the race for the top wild-card spot.

Cashner (5-7) allowed Pence’s 20th home run, a leadoff drive to left on a 1-0 pitch. Panik followed with a single to left to chase Cashner, who threw 106 pitches. He struck out seven and walked one.

Cashner was coming off a two-hit shutout of the Philadelphia Phillies on Monday night, a 1-0 victory.

“He had a two-hit shutout with 100 pitches. I thought he was throwing the ball extremely well all night,” Black said. “He hadn’t really been stressed. I thought the level of intensity that he was throwing was high, even late in the game. He was extremely motivated to go out. He felt good physically. I felt good about it, too.”

Said Cashner: “I wanted to try and finish. You don’t get the opportunity a lot of times to take the game into the ninth with pinch hitters and game situations. I thought it was pretty cool him letting me go back out there.”

Cashner retired 15 straight before Pence’s homer. Kevin Quackenbush came on and got the first out before allowing Pablo Sandoval’s single. Quackenbush struck out Brandon Belt before Gregor Blanco hit an RBI single. Brandon Crawford flied out to left with runners on the corners, giving Quackenbush his fifth save in six chances.

San Diego, closing out another miserable year, improved to 8-6 against the Giants this season. The series concludes on Sunday, and the teams finish the season with a four-game set at San Francisco.

Cashner hit his first career triple with one out in the fifth, the first triple by a big league pitcher this season, and bunted for a single in the sixth.

Yusmeiro Petit (5-5), who has taken Tim Lincecum’s spot in the Giants’ rotation, allowed three runs, two earned, and four hits 5 1-3 innings. He struck out seven and walked three.

The Padres scored with one out in the third on second baseman Panik’s throwing error on a potential double-play ball. The Padres loaded the bases before Petit struck out Jedd Gyorko and Yasmani Grandal.

Petit had faced 70 straight batters without going to a three-ball count before he walked Cashner with one out in the third.

Petit was chased by Rene Rivera’s two-run double with one in the sixth. Yasmani Grandal was aboard on a double and Seth Smith on an intentional walk.

CASHNER’S OFFENSE

“He takes pride in his offense,” Black said. “He takes pride in his ability to be a complete player, run the bases, hitting. There are some things we can do with him offensively. He a very athletic player.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Giants: CF Angel Pagan was out of the lineup for the fourth time in five games due to a bulging disk in his back. Pagan “was pretty sore” and was to be examined by a team doctor, manager Bruce Bochy said. Also, INF-OF Michael Morse on Friday night aggravated a strained side muscle that had kept him out for 15 games.

Padres: Manager Bud Black said rookie RHP Odrisamer Despaigne reported a sore latissimus dorsi muscle late in his strong effort in Friday night’s 5-0 win.

UP NEXT

Giants: RHP Ryan Vogelsong (8-11) is 1-3 with a 9.37 ERA in five games at Petco Park, including four starts.

Padres: RHP Ian Kennedy (11-13) is going for his second straight win after losing two in a row.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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