SAN DIEGO (AP) — For the first time in 14 regular season starts San Francisco Giants former two-time Cy Young winning pitcher Tim Lincecum went seven innings.
That was the good news. The bad news was Lincecum and the Giants were on the short-end of a 2-1 San Diego Padres victory Friday night.
Andrew Cashner (1-1) allowed one run and five hits, struck out five and walked one. He retired the last 12 batters he faced, avenging a 2-0 loss to Lincecum and the Giants last Saturday.
Lincecum (2-1), who pitched 6 2-3 innings in his previous victory over the Padres, struck out nine and allowed six hits in seven innings Friday.
"I just ran into those bloops there in the second and third innings," said Lincecum. "I was trying to do too much. In that third I elevated pitches. When you get to a place where you need strikeouts, you tend to overthrow pitched and leave them up and that's what happened with (Carlos) Quentin and (Chase) Headley."
It was Cashner, however, who got the inning going with a leadoff sincle to center. He stole second when Lincecum struck out Will Venable with a ball in the dirt. Consecutive singles from Headley and Quentin then brought Cashner home with the tying run.
Headley eventually came home on Yonder Alonso's base hit, giving the Padres a 2-1 lead.
Cashner and four relievers combined to retire 19 in a row before Buster Posey singled with one out in the ninth. Huston Street then struck out Hunter Pence before Brandon Belt singled to left, advancing pinch-runner Joaquin Arias to third.
But Brandon Crawford grounded out to second to end the game, sending Street to his fourth save in four opportunities.
"That was an impressive start," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said.
"We have to think that because we scored one run on a wild pitch. He was throwing hard with good stuff. We didn't do much off him last time either. He shut us down, it's pretty simple."
Cashner was pleased how he got better as the game went on.
"I thought I was struggling there at the beginning of the game," Cashner said. "I wasn't making pitches at the beginning of the game but I started settling in.
"I thought my curveball was really good, and I mixed it up and threw a lot of curveball first pitches tonight. I kind of like to have that one I bounced in the dirt in the first."
"I think in the last two years I've polished my changeup. My breaking ball is getting better and I found my changeup later in the game. Everything is finally coming together."
San Francisco grabbed the lead in the first when leadoff batter Angel Pagan used his speed to manufacture a run. He singled, stole second, moved to third on a fielder's choice and scored on a wild pitch by Cashner.
"Timmy was good," Bochy said. "He left a couple of balls up. But I'll take that outing every time."
The last time Linecum went seven innings was Aug. 10 of last year and he lost, 3-0 to Colorado.
NOTES: San Diego Chargers WR Danario Alexander took batting practice and Padres manager Bud Black was impressed, noting his bat speed. ... Black said OF Kyle Blanks, who injured his eyelid crashing into the wall in San Francisco last week, would be back in San Diego's starting lineup. He pinched hit in the seventh and grounded out to third. Giants LHP Jeremy Affeldt (right oblique strain) was scheduled to pitch a bullpen session Saturday. The reliever is eligible to come off the 15-day DL on Tuesday. ... Giants LHP Barry Zito (3-1, 3.42 ERA) will be on the mound Saturday night against the Padres LHP Eric Stults (2-2, 4.70).
