Sandoval homer lifts Giants past Padres

SAN FRANCISCO — Pablo Sandoval homered for the second straight day, Justin Miller pitched solidly after an injury forced starter Matt Cain out and the San Francisco Giants held on to beat the San Diego Padres 2-1 Saturday night.

A day after Jonathan Sanchez pitched a no-hitter, the Giants beat the Padres for a third straight game behind Sandoval.

Sandoval hit his 15th homer of the season in the fourth, a two-run shot off San Diego starter Tim Stauffer who was making his first major league appearance in nearly two years.

Brandon Medders, Sergio Romo, Jeremy Affeldt and Brian Wilson completed the seven-hitter for San Francisco. Wilson pitched 1 1-3 innings for his 23rd save in 27 chances.

The surging Giants moved a season-high 11 games over .500 and within six games of the Los Angeles Dodgers for first in the NL West. San Francisco also owns the best home record in the majors with a 31-14 mark.

Miller (2-1) pitched 3 1-3 scoreless innings, getting pressed into duty when Cain was left in the in the second inning after getting hit by a liner in his pitching arm.

Cain, the Giants’ All-Star pitcher who entered tied for the second-most wins in the National League, was hit just above his right elbow by Stauffer’s line drive with two outs. The ball ricocheted off Cain toward the third-base dugout as the Giants pitcher grimaced in pain while walking around on the field.

Cain then circled back behind the pitcher’s mound where he was met by trainer Dave Groeschner, manager Bruce Bochy and pitching coach Dave Righetti. After a brief conversation, Cain attempted to throw a warmup pitch, but the ball sailed over the head of catcher Eli Whiteside.

That forced Bochy to go to his bullpen, beginning with Miller. The right-hander got Everth Cabrera to ground out to end the second then retired nine of the next 10, getting a double-play to end the fourth following Chase Headley’s one-out single.

Miller left to start the sixth but the Padres didn’t have much better luck until Everth Cabrera’s one-out double in the eighth off Romo. Cabrera stole third and scored when Whiteside’s throw sailed into left field.

Affeldt replaced Romo and walked Tony Gwynn Jr. before getting Adrian Gonzalez to fly out. Wilson then struck out Kevin Kouzmanoff to escape the jam.

Called up from Triple-A Portland prior to the game, Stauffer (0-1) retired the first 10 batters he faced before Randy Winn blooped a single to left. Sandoval then hit the next pitch into the left field stands to give the Giants a 2-0 lead.

Stauffer allowed only four hits in seven innings and matched his career high with seven strikeouts in his first start since Aug. 26, 2007.

Before the game highlights of Sanchez’s no-hitter played on the scoreboard in center field. It was the Giants’ first no-hitter since 1976.

NOTES: Giants 2B Juan Uribe, whose error at 3B wound up giving the San Diego Padres their only baserunner in Sanchez’s no-hitter, was originally charged with an error in the fourth on Saturday night before the official scorekeeper later ruled the play a hit. … To make room for Stauffer, the Padres outrighted INF Craig Stansberry to Triple-A Portland. … Whiteside made his second straight start while Bengie Molina was with his wife, Jamie, for the birth of the couple’s first child.