Pomeranz throws 7 spotless innings but Padres lose 1-0
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) Drew Pomeranz pitched seven shutout innings and still couldn't win. That's because he was matched against Johnny Cueto, who has allowed one run in his last 34 innings and tossed two shutouts against San Diego this season.
Brad Hand was the tough-luck loser Monday night, giving up pinch-hitter Hunter Pence's bloop double into right field that scored Brandon Belt with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning to give the San Francisco Giants a 1-0 victory over the Padres.
''The ball should have been caught,'' right fielder Matt Kemp said. ''That's my ball. It was easier for me coming in. It was in the air too long. That's my fault.''
San Diego fell to 0-7 against its NL West rival this year.
Pitching and defense has not been the Padres' problem lately. They've been shut out eight times already, four by a 1-0 score.
''The hitting has not kept up its end of the bargain,'' manager Andy Green said. ''We have to raise the bar.''
The Padres have been involved in 10 one-run games over their past 15 and are 4-6 in that stretch. They are 7-11 in one-run games overall.
Cueto (7-1) yielded two hits in his third complete-game win over San Diego this season. The right-hander struck out six and didn't walk a batter while becoming the first San Francisco pitcher since Jason Schmidt in 2004 to win seven times in his first 10 starts.
Cueto was dominant the entire night and didn't allow a baserunner until Kemp's two-out single in the fourth. He retired the next 12 batters and struck out pinch-hitter Yangervis Solarte with runners at the corners to end the eighth.
''He's a great pitcher. We faced him three times and he's gone eight or nine every time,'' Kemp said. ''He's one of the best right-handers in the game. He made it look easy. We have to make him work. We have to have better at-bats against him.''
After the Giants stranded two in the eighth, Cueto retired the side in order in the ninth before his teammates won it in the bottom of the inning.
The Padres, coming off a 17-inning loss to the Dodgers that took nearly 6 hours to complete, lost their second straight despite a solid outing from Pomeranz.
The left-hander lowered his ERA to 1.70 after allowing two hits over seven innings. He ended up with his first no-decision of the year.
Pomeranz, who has lost twice to Cueto this season, had four strikeouts and four walks.
''He was great,'' Green said. ''There's nothing more you can ask from him.''
TRAINER'S ROOM
Padres: LHP Keith Hessler was called up from Triple-A El Paso before the game. Hessler was claimed off waivers from Arizona on May 10. ... RHP Colin Rea was optioned to El Paso.
Giants: An MRI revealed that Pence has a mild hamstring injury. ... RHP Sergio Romo (flexor strain) began a rehab stint in the minors. If all goes well, the plan is for Romo to rejoin the Giants for a four-game series in Atlanta beginning May 30.
UP NEXT
Padres: RHP Andrew Cashner (2-3) is expected to come off the disabled list to start Tuesday after recovering from a right hamstring strain.
Giants: RHP Jeff Samardzija (6-2) goes after his third win against San Diego this season. Samardzija's 2.66 ERA is the second-lowest among San Francisco starters.