Jackson takes no-no into 7th, Padres win 5-3 to sweep Giants
SAN DIEGO -- Edwin Jackson held San Francisco hitless until Conor Gillaspie's three-run homer with one out in the seventh inning, and the San Diego Padres held off the Giants 5-3 Sunday for their first sweep of the season.
Jackson, making his first start since 2014, and three relievers combined on a two-hitter against the Giants, who despite losing three straight still have the best record in the majors at 57-36.
San Diego remains the only big league team without a no-hitter, having played 7,582 games without one since starting out in 1969.
After striking out Brandon Crawford to open the seventh, Jackson bobbled Gregor Blanco's grounder for an error and then walked Ramiro Pena before Gillaspie homered deep into the seats in right field. That cut the Padres' lead to 4-3.
Jackson (1-1) was then pulled. He walked five, struck out four and threw 90 pitches.
Until the homer, the Giants hadn't come close to a hit as Jackson kept them off-balance, mostly with his slider.
Jackson pitched a no-hitter in 2010 for Arizona, walking eight and throwing 149 pitches to stop Tampa Bay.
The 32-year-old was signed to a minor league deal by the Padres on June 20 after being cut by Miami. He was promoted from Triple-A earlier Sunday to start in place of All-Star Drew Pomeranz, who was traded to Boston on Thursday. San Diego is his 11th big league club.
Jackson hit two singles and drove in a run. He also reached on a fielding error by Crawford.
Brandon Maurer pitched the ninth for his third save.
Johnny Cueto (13-2) lost for the first time since April 21 against Arizona. He had three straight complete-game victories against the Padres this season coming into Sunday.
Cueto had the same fate as he did in the All-Star Game at Petco Park, when he started for the NL and surrendered two home runs in an inning.
On Tuesday night, he allowed home runs to Kansas City's Eric Hosmer and Salvador Perez in the second.
On Sunday, Cueto allowed a solo homer by Matt Kemp to left-center leading off the fourth and a solo homer by Christian Bethancourt into the first row in the second deck in left with two outs for a 2-0 San Diego lead. It was Kemp's 18th and Bethancourt's fifth.
Cueto made it into the sixth, allowing a leadoff walk to Alex Dickerson and a single to Bethancourt before making way for George Kontos. Rookie Ryan Schimpf hit an RBI single and Jackson followed two batters later with an RBI hit.
Cueto allowed four runs and six hits in five-plus innings, struck out four and walked three.
San Diego's Yangervis Solarte homered in the seventh, his ninth.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Giants: Manager Bruce Bochy said OF Hunter Pence, on the disabled list with a strained right hamstring, took Sunday off during his rehab assignment after getting hit by a pitch on Saturday. "We're just being cautious here," Bochy said. "He feels fine. He's feeling like he could play but we feel it's best if he takes today off and plays tomorrow."
UP NEXT
Giants: After a day off, San Francisco opens a two-game series at Boston on Tuesday night when RHP Jake Peavy (5-7, 5.09) is scheduled to oppose RHP Rick Porcello (11-2, 3.66). Peavy started three postseason games for the Red Sox during their 2013 run to the World Series title.
Padres: San Diego heads to St. Louis for a four-game series starting Monday night, when LHP Christian Friedrich (4-5, 4.50) is set to face RHP Mike Leake (6-7, 4.14), who grew up in San Diego County.
