Ryan Vogelsong shuts down Padres in Giants 6-0 win

SAN FRANCISCO — Pitcher Ryan Vogelsong had his best outing of the season Tuesday night against the San Diego Padres, and perhaps the same can be said for Brandon Crawford.

Vogelsong pitched seven shutout innings for his first victory of the season, and Crawford had his third multihit day in six games as the San Francisco Giants cruised to a 6-0 win against the Padres for their eighth consecutive victory at home.

Six days after his worst outing the year, a 7-3 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers on April 29. Vogelsong allowed just three hits and two walks to continue San Francisco's string of strong recent starts, as a lot has changed in less than a week.

Since that ugly loss to the Dodgers, the Giants have won five in a row to move above .500 for the first time since they were 3-2 on April 10. In those five games, the Giants have outscored their opponents 21-6 and are now alone in second place in the National League West.

Vogelsong got into a jam in the top of the sixth inning, as he walked Justin Upton to load the bases with two outs. But Vogelsong threw a fastball high and tight against Alexi Amarista, and on the next pitch, got Amarista to chase an outside pitch for what was his second strikeout.

Vogelsong retired Will Venable, Will Middlebrooks and Amarista in order in the seventh before he was pulled in favor of George Kontos at the start of the eighth inning.

Vogelsong's last outing at AT&T Park on April 23 wasn't bad, as he allowed three hits in six innings to the Dodgers in what ended up as a 3-2 Giants win. It's just that he didn't get much run support, as he left the game with the Giants trailing 2-0.

Run support wasn't a problem Tuesday, as the Giants had 10 hits and scored at least six runs for just the third time this season.

Crawford was 3 for 3 with two runs, a walk and an RBI, and is now 8 for 19 in his past six games.

Vogelsong's spot in the rotation right now is probably not in jeopardy, considering Jake Peavy is still recovering from a back strain and the Giants still need to decide when Peavy will begin a rehab assignment. Giants manager Bruce Bochy said Peavy's bullpen session on Tuesday went well.

But there's no doubt Vogelsong could have used another strong start after he was rocked for four home runs last week.

Things started well enough for Vogelsong, who retired nine of the first 10 batters and needed just 33 pitches to get through the first three innings.

The Giants gave Vogelsong the lead in the bottom of the second inning. Justin Maxwell singled to center to score Brandon Belt and Matt Duffy, on a ground ball to short, beat the throw to first base to avoid a double play and allow Brandon Crawford to score for a 2-0 Giants lead.

Duffy took Casey McGehee's spot at third base, as McGehee was given the day off after he had gone 8 for 55 with just one RBI in his past 17 games.

NOTES

Angel Pagan was initially in Tuesday's lineup, but was scratched about 45 minutes before the first pitch, as he suffered a cracked nail on his left middle finger Monday night thanks to a metal spike. Justin Maxwell moved to right field and Gregor Blanco moved to center.

Hunter Pence took swings off a tee and a machine Tuesday, and Bochy felt that his batting practice 'got better and better as it went.' Pence will still get the day off Wednesday and will resume activities on Thursday, and the Giants will make the call on what to do.