Hudson gets Giants back on track

AT&T PARK — Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: Tim Hudson throws seven innings in a Giants win.

Photos by Godofredo Vasquez/SFBay

Hudson (W, 5-2, 1.92 ERA) threw seven scoreless innings, scattered six hits and surrendered no walks while striking out five en route to a 4-0 Giants win over the Chicago Cubs Tuesday night.

The Giants drew first blood in the contest with two first-innings runs, which proved to be all the run support Hudson needed. San Francisco is now 25-5 when it strikes first.

Hudson has chewed up at least seven innings in eight of his 10 starts this season. He’s also thwarted opponents to two earned runs or less in nine of 10 starts. Manager Bruce Bochy commended Hudson on his consistency:

“He took out his normal stuff out there tonight…He knows what he’s doing out there too. I can’t say I’m surprised.”

Buster Posey gave the Giants their first run in the first inning with a sacrifice fly to score Angel Pagan. Morse tacked on another with a two-out base hit to score Hunter Pence. Morse is now 9-for-25 (.360) with runners in scoring position and two outs. Bochy plans on giving Morse more reps at first base:

“To have the flexibility [to put Morse at first base] is vital with the injury to Belt… I just think he’s getting more and more settled in there.”

The Giants added another pair of runs in the fifth inning after Posey’s second sacrifice fly of the game and a two-out RBI single from Pablo Sandoval.

Sandoval has driven in at least one RBI in seven consecutive games. His average is now up to .239.

The bullpen had another solid outing to support Hudson, as Jeremy Affeldt and Jean Machi combined for two scoreless innings and three strikeouts and lowered the bullpen ERA to 2.37.

Jake Arrieta (L, 1-1, 3.20 ERA) had a slow start, giving up two runs in the first inning.

He pitched well in between, but fell apart again the fifth inning when the Giants knocked him around for another two runs.

Arrieta pitched six innings, allowed six hits, issued a walk and whiffed six.

The Giants will look to take the series in a rubber match Wednesday when Tim Lincecum (4-3, 4.55 ERA) will take on righty Edwin Jackson (3-4, 4.94 ERA). Game time is 12:45 p.m.

Notes

The Giants scored two more two-out runs. Out of 223 total runs, 102 of them have come with two outs (45.7 percent)… Michael Morse has made 12 starts at first base and committed no errors this season… When Tim Hudson pitches at home, the Giants are 5-0. Dating back to his time with the Braves, Hudson’s teams have won their last 13 consecutive home games when he’s on the hill.

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