Padres waste stellar outing by Bass

SAN FRANCISCO – Anthony Bass wasn't too concerned about losing his bid at a perfect game to an infield single by Giants pitcher Tim Lincecum in the sixth inning.

What bothered the San Diego spot starter was a controversial call on a close play at first base that kept a San Francisco rally going — and ultimately helped end Bass' night.

"I wasn't happy but it's part of the game," Bass said after the Padres 2-1 loss to the Giants on Saturday night. "It took some time to cool off."

Bass cruised through the first five innings and retired the first two batters in the sixth before Lincecum beat out a slow grounder to short for the Giants' first baserunner.

He worked out of that jam but ran into trouble in the seventh after giving up a leadoff double to Melky Cabrera. Bass retired the next two batters and thought he was out of the inning when he got Nate Schierholtz to hit a grounder to second baseman Orlando Hudson.

Hudson raced to his left to get the ball, did a 360-degree turn then threw to first baseman Yonder Alonso who had to stretch to receive the throw. The ball appeared to beat Schierholtz but first base umpire Chris Conroy ruled Alonso had pulled his foot.

Manager Bud Black came out to argue the call, and Bass (1-3) was clearly rattled by the play. The very next hitter, Brandon Belt, delivered a two-run double that was the difference in the score.

"I saw (Alonso's) foot on the bag," Bass said. "Ump didn't see it that way."

It was about the only stain on Bass' night.

He allowed six hits, struck out a career-high eight and didn't walk anyone.

The Padres' spot starter retired the first 17 batters. He didn't walk a batter but took the loss after coming up short in his bid to become the first pitcher in Padres history to throw a no-hitter.

"Anthony knows what it takes for him to pitch deep into games," San Diego manager Bud Black said. "Every pitch had a purpose and every pitch was attacking."

San Diego scored its only run without the benefit of a hit.

Two walks by Lincecum in the third and the Giants' 24th error this season loaded the bases for Nick Hundley, who hit a sacrifice fly to drive in Will Venable.

That looked like it would be all the support Bass needed until San Francisco's two-run rally in the seventh.

"We knew it was going to be a tough game just because he's got good stuff and he had good numbers coming into today," Lincecum said of Bass. "His slider was getting strikeouts and he had a live fastball. We knew it was going to be a grind and it turned out that way."

Lincecum (2-2) pitched eight sharp innings in his longest start of the season. The former two-time NL Cy Young Award winner overcame some early control problems to allow three hits with five strikeouts and four walks.

Lincecum threw 121 pitches and retired 17 of the last 19 batters he faced after giving up an unearned run in the second inning.

Santiago Casilla pitched the ninth for his third save.

Pablo Sandoval went hitless in four at-bats for the Giants, ending his 20-game hitting streak that was the longest in the majors this year.

NOTES: Giants 2B Freddy Sanchez has a strain in his right shoulder, an MRI revealed. Manager Bruce Bochy said he was encouraged by the test results and said the team will have Sanchez rest a few days before resuming his rehab. ... The Padres placed OF Jeremy Hermida on the 15-day DL with a strained right adductor. Blake Tekotte was recalled from Triple-A Tucson to replace Hermida on the roster. ... San Francisco INF Ryan Theriot received his World Series championship ring from former St. Louis Cardinals manager Tony LaRussa in a private ceremony before the game. ... LHP Madison Bumgarner (3-1) tries to become the Giants first four-game winner this season in Sunday's series finale. LHP Clayton Richard (1-2), who has allowed three earned runs or less in his previous seven starts vs. the Giants, goes for the Padres.