CINCINNATI (AP) — Matt Cain pitched a seven-hitter for his second shutout of the season, extending his recent run of dominance, and singled home a run in the eighth inning Tuesday night, helping the San Francisco Giants pull away to a 3-0 victory over the Cincinnati Reds.
Cain (5-4) subdued the NL's most prolific offense — Brandon Phillips had three of Cincinnati's hits — while going the distance for the third time this season. He has all of the Giants' complete games.
Uribe hit his ninth homer into the upper deck in left field off right-hander Sam LeCure (1-2). Slumping Bengie Molina and Cain added run-scoring singles in the eighth off Nick Masset.
The Giants have won the first two games in the series and 10 of their last 14 overall.
Uribe drove in four runs with two singles Monday night, setting up a 6-5 win in the series opener. His fourth-inning homer put the Giants ahead to stay a day later, leaving him with a team-high 38 RBIs.
Cain took it from there.
In the last few weeks, the right-hander has been the best part of one of the majors' best rotations. Cain has pitched three complete games in his last five starts, allowing only three earned runs in 40 innings. He's done an exceptional job of avoiding the big mistake — only four homers allowed all season.
Facing the NL's leading lineup in one of the major leagues' most homer-friendly ballparks, Cain was in control the whole way, handing Cincinnati only its fourth blanking of the season.
The Reds ran themselves out of a couple of early chances. Phillips was doubled off first base on a fly ball in the first inning. Scott Rolen was caught in a rundown when he tried to score from third on a grounder with the infield drawn in — second baseman Freddy Sanchez fielded Laynce Nix's grounder cleanly and unloaded his throw home quickly.
Rolen was the only Red to reach third base. Cain walked two and struck out five, throwing 116 pitches.
He also had two singles, a noteworthy night for the weak-hitting pitcher. Cain was 1 for 20 with 13 strikeouts coming into the game, but singled in the fifth and drove home a run with another single in the eighth. Molina, in a 4-for-55 slump, also had an RBI single.
NOTES: It was the Giants' sixth shutout this season. ... Sanchez went 0 for 3 with two walks, ending his 11-game hitting streak. ... OF Mark DeRosa returned to San Francisco to get another exam on his sore left wrist. DeRosa was on a minor league rehab assignment when it began bothering him again. He's been sidelined since May 9 by an inflamed nerve. ... RHP Brett Bochy, son of Giants manager Bruce Bochy, was taken by San Francisco in the 20th round of the draft. ... Reds LHP Arthur Rhodes retired the two batters he faced, extending his scoreless-innings streak to 23 1-3, longest by an NL reliever this season.
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