Padres Improve to 7-0 Against Giants, Open Up 1 1/2 Game Lead

After a disheartening sweep at the hands of the surging Los Angeles Dodgers, the Padres got back on track yesterday, beating Matt Cain and San Francisco 3-1 and improving to 7-0 against the Giants this year.

The Dodgers kept pace with the Padres, beating Houston 6-2.

The Dodgers have now won eight straight games and sit just two back of San Diego and 1/2 a game back of San Francisco for second place.

The Padres got seven quality innings from Clayton Richard, and Mike Adams and Heath Bell shut the door in the eighth and ninth, with two strikeouts apiece.

The offense was decent, with Adrian Gonzalez sending a ball out of the yard and walking twice, David Eckstein getting a couple of hits, Will Venable singling and walking, and Chris Denorfia coming off the bench to get his first hit of the season (in his first at-bat).

The Padres showed impressive discipline, walking eight times in the game. Hopefully that trend continues into today’s game, where they’ll face lefty Jonathan Sanchez, who can sometimes walk several batters.

Mat Latos will attempt to dominate again as the Padres go for the two-game sweep.