San Francisco Giants vs San Diego Padres Box Score on Jul 15, 2017

The Sports Xchange
Jul 16, 2017

SAN DIEGO -- Madison Bumgarner was sharp in his return, but the San Diego Padres defeated the San Francisco Giants 5-3 on Saturday night.

Hector Sanchez's two-run homer off Steven Okert in the ninth inning was the difference. Sanchez, in the lineup for injured Austin Hedges, smacked the first pitch he saw 407 feet into the left-field seats for the Padres' sixth win in nine games.

Brandon Maurer (1-4), who worked the eighth, got the win.

Cory Gearrin (3-3) faced one batter but absorbed the loss as Jabari Blash singled and scored the go-ahead run as the Giants lost for the sixth time in their past eight games.

Bumgarner started for the first time since injuring his left shoulder in a dirt bike accident on April 20. The left-hander began with a flourish as the Giants' ace struck out the side in the first inning on his way to retiring the initial seven batters he faced.

Bumgarner, a four-time All-Star and the 2014 World Series MVP, didn't show much rust. He worked seven innings and surrendered three runs and four hits. He had five strikeouts and two walks in a 102-pitch effort.

Jhoulys Chacin pitched six innings, allowing three runs, six hits and four walks. He struck out four in failing to win his third straight start and to beat the Giants for the third consecutive time this season.

The Padres squandered an eighth-inning opportunity when Carlos Asuaje singled and Wil Myers walked with one out. Reliever Hunter Strickland got pinch hitter Allen Cordoba grounded into a double play, extending his slump to 0-for-22.

Joe Panik tied the score at 3 with his solo homer in the sixth inning. Chacin tried to sneak a 78 mph fastball past Panik and he nailed it for his sixth home run on the year.

Jabari Blash smacked the second of the Padres' two homers, a two-run, 424-foot shot in the fourth inning for a 3-2 lead. For Blash, who was called up from Triple-A El Paso on Friday, it was his second homer of the year and his first since April 25.

Matt Szczur's homer in the third pulled the Padres within 2-1. Szczur punished Bumgarner's elevated curveball with a 407-foot blast.

Chacin was on the ropes from the start as the Giants scored twice in the first inning. Hunter Pence poked a soft bases-loaded single into center, which scored Eduardo Nunez and Buster Posey. Nunez drew the first of two walks in the inning and Posey's hit was the first of two in the inning.

For Pence, it was just his second hit in 23 at-bats against the Padres this year.

NOTES: Giants RHP Johnny Cueto was placed on the disabled list with blisters on his throwing hand. Manager Bruce Bochy is hopeful Cueto won't miss more than two starts. ... Giants LHP Madison Bumgarner (shoulder) was activated off the DL. ... RHP Matt Cain will replace Cueto in the rotation. ... Padres C Austin Hedges didn't start after being struck in the face mask by a foul tip in Friday's game. ... Padres rookie Jose Pirela made his first appearance at third base. ... Padres OF Travis Janikowski (foot) has begun his rehabilitation assignment in the Arizona Rookie League.