Giants Spoil Cashner's Return

If you take out all the games the Padres have played against the Giants and just push those aside for a moment, San Diego’s record is 19-20.

That’s just one victory away from the .500 mark. Not great, but considering all the injuries the Padres have had to their starting rotation and around the infield, that’s not horrible either.

Unfortunately those 8 games the Padres have played with San Francisco do count.

And when you go 0-8 against an opponent, well they clearly have your number.

The first-place Giants just keep finding ways to beat the Padres. Right now they are just – better.

The latest example came Tuesday evening when the Giants turned a tense 1-1 game into an 8-2 laugher.

The Giants put up a five spot in the 8^th to put this one out of reach. Brandon Crawford delivered the big blow with a bases-clearing 3-run triple off of Padres reliever Keith Hessler.

San Francisco starting pitcher Jeff Samardzija was also part of the problem. He went 6.2 innings and struck out seven batters. In the process, Samardzija improved to 7-2 with the victory (and three of those wins were against San Diego).

Jon Jay turned his only mistake into a solo shot when he led off the 6^th inning. But before Jay’s homer, the Padres had not scored a run against the Giants in the previous 21.1 innings, which is both impressive and sad at the same time.

San Francisco improved to 12-1 in its last 13 ball games and is holding the Padres to just 2.1 runs through their first 8 meetings.

It’s frustrating to see the Padres struggle in this fashion but it’s especially tough to watch against a division opponent that employs one of your former managers.

Bruce Bochy’s squad got out of a bases loaded jam in the 7^th inning while clinging to a 3-1 lead. San Diego’s Alexi Amarista worked the count full with two outs but then proceeded to ground out to second base to end the threat.

Hector Sanchez added a RBI single in the 9^th to close out the scoring.

The Padres were also on the wrong end of two challenges. In the bottom of the 3^rd inning, Derek Norris thought he had Gregor Blanco tagged out at home plate but the play was reversed and Blanco was ultimately called safe.

Then in the 8^th inning with the Padres down 3-1, Matt Kemp tried to stretch a double into a triple and was thrown out when he got a little greedy.

Andrew Cashner was taken off the disabled list and made his first start since May 8^th. He was solid until the 6^th inning, when Buster Posey pounced with a RBI double and Crawford followed with a RBI single moments later.

Cashner’s ERA is now 4.87 after he lasted six innings and allowed three earned runs.

To make room for Cashner, the Padres had to make a roster move Tuesday. They optioned reliever Kevin Quackenbush to Triple-A to work on his fastball command.

Expect Quackenbush back in the bigs soon depending on how he performs in El Paso as well as the Padres’ needs as they juggle multiple injuries. Quackenbush made 24 appearances and compiled a 2-2 record and 4.64 ERA.

Padres first baseman Wil Myers was granted a rare day off Tuesday after tweaking his left forearm. He had played in 45 of the team’s first 46 contests and started 43 of them.

Myers missed a game back on May 15^th against the Brewers after feeling tightness on the side of his forearm.

San Diego and San Francisco finish their series in a Wednesday matinee at 12:45 p.m.

San Diego sends James Shields to the hill to oppose former Padres ace Jake Peavy.