Giants Shut Dodgers Down: 1 Game Out in NL West

Sanchez seems to have found his rhythm

The Giants won the rubber game in the Dodgers series behind another brilliant performance by Jonathan Sanchez. He went seven scoreless innings, striking out nine, walking just one, and yielding only three hits. Pablo Sandoval hit a sacrifice fly in the 2nd inning, and that would be all the Giants needed as the Dodgers were shut out for a league-leading 15th time this season. Juan Uribe did, though, add a two-run home run in the 7th inning in his first AB of the game (he had been intentionally walked in his previous two games), as the Giants won 3-0. 

The Padres, meanwhile, lost their 10th game in a row. Here's some notes on their freefall from first place: 

• Only two other teams in history have dropped 10 straight games and made the playoffs.
• The Padres' slide ties the 1932 Pirates for the longest losing streak by a first-place team.
• This losing streak is tied for the Padres' 3rd longest in franchise history
• During the streak, the Padres have been outscored 55-23 and have allowed 12 home runs. They have a 5.00 ERA during that span. 

The Giants are now a measly one game out of first place in the NL West. To put that in perspective, on August 25, a week and a half ago, the Giants were six and a half games back. They are back in the thick of the race in this division. 

Jonathan Sanchez did something he rarely does: pitch well in two consecutive starts. His two consecutive quality starts (8.0 IP, 1 ER last start) mark the first time he's done so since April 14 and April 20, earlier this season. He also reached 10 wins on Sunday, the first time he's done so in his career.

Tomorrow: The Giants face the Arizona Diamondbacks, who have won seven of their last 10, despite losing their last two games. Ian Kennedy will face Madison Bumgarner. Kennedy is coming off a 12-strikeout performance, and has a decent 3.05 ERA in three starts against the Giants this year. Buster Posey has five hits in six at bats (.833) against Kennedy, two of which were doubles. Bumgarner is coming off of a good start, too, in which he went six innings and allowed just one ER. In his one start against the Diamondbacks this year, he went seven innings and gave up two ER.

Rob Neyer, August 23, 2010: "I can't quite figure why the Giants would be worried about Ross going to the Padres. Granted, the Padres could use a center fielder. But the Giants really don't have to worry about the Padres, who are close to uncatchable. The Giants need to worry more about whoever doesn't win the East and whoever doesn't win the Central."