Johnny Cueto shines in Giants’ 1-0 win over Padres

SAN FRANCISCO - Johnny Cueto pitched a seven-hitter for his seventh career shutout to outwork James Shields, and the Giants beat the San Diego Padres 1-0 on Tuesday night.

Cueto (4-1) struck out a season-high 11 batters, walked one and repeatedly pitched out of trouble to help the Giants to their seventh straight home win against the Padres. It was his 13th career complete game.

Denard Span drove in the game’s only run with a two-out double in the fifth inning that scored Brandon Crawford.

Alexei Ramirez had two hits for San Diego, but the Padres were blanked for the sixth time this season.

The matchup between Cueto and Shields - two former All-Stars - lived up to the hype. Shields (0-4) remained winless despite giving up only three hits over seven innings. The Padres’ hard-luck ace did not allow a hit until Crawford’s leadoff single in the fifth but received no run support again.

Cueto was strong all night while pitching the first shutout this season for the Giants. San Francisco’s marquee free-agent addition in the offseason, he retired nine straight after Jon Jay opened the game with a leadoff double. Cueto later worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the fifth when he got Jay to ground into a 6-4-3 double play.