SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Derek Holland got two big assists from catcher Buster Posey and the Giants defense in the first inning, setting the tone for the left-hander’s longest outing in nearly two years.
Then he received more help from an unlikely source in the second - San Francisco’s spotty offense.
Kevin Pillar drove in four runs for the second straight game, Evan Longoria broke out of a long slump with an RBI single and the Giants beat the San Diego Padres 7-2 on Tuesday night.
Holland (1-1) pitched seven crisp innings, allowing five hits with two walks and a season-best nine strikeouts. He struck out hot-hitting rookie Fernando Tatis Jr. looking three times and fanned the final two batters he faced after giving up Hunter Renfroe’s solo homer in the seventh.
“He gave us something we needed with some length,” San Francisco manager Bruce Bochy said. “What a great job he did. The first inning they hit some balls hard but he found his command and all his pitches and pitched a terrific game.”
It was Holland’s longest outing since he lasted eight innings for the Chicago White Sox on May 21, 2017.
Holland got a big lift from San Francisco’s defense early.
Posey threw out Wil Myers attempting to steal second in the first inning. Two batters later, after Manny Machado walked, Franmil Reyes singled but was nabbed trying to go to second on a relay throw by shortstop Brandon Crawford.
“They were making some hard contact,” Holland said. “Any time these guys make plays you want to do whatever you can to pick them up, too. They made some great plays for me.”
The Giants set a season high for runs, one night after blowing a five-run lead with ace Madison Bumgarner on the mound.
Gerardo Parra doubled and scored twice in his return to the lineup after getting hit in the face by a 93 mph fastball that ricocheted off his shoulder in the series opener Monday. Yangervis Solarte and Tyler Austin also knocked in runs to help the Giants (4-8) avoid their worst start through 12 games in the San Francisco era.
Padres starter Joey Lucchesi (2-1) went into the game as one of two NL pitchers who hadn’t allowed a run in 10 innings this season. Lucchesi ran his streak to 11 with a 1-2-3 first before the Giants scored six in the second.
“Just a couple of bad pitches here and there,” he said. “I only gave up three hard hits, a few bloops. I’m just going to sleep it off, move on and get ready for the next start.”
Pillar, who hit a grand slam Monday, smacked a three-run double in the second and scored on Austin’s RBI single, then added a sacrifice fly in the fourth. The newcomer from Toronto became the first Giants player with at least four RBIs in back-to-back games since home run king Barry Bonds did it April 2-3, 2002.
“Any time you are traded and brought to a new clubhouse, you want to go out there and have kind of your moment,” Pillar said. “Today is kind of showcasing what I feel like I can bring to the table.”
SAGGING ATTENDANCE
The game drew 28,506, the smallest crowd in San Francisco since Sept. 1, 2010. The Giants set an NL record with 530 consecutive sellouts at their waterfront ballpark from 2010-17 but have failed to reach 30,000 in each of their last two games.
“You hate to see it, but it’s going to be up to us to start playing good ball and get ’em back here and start winning some games,” Bochy said. “That’s something that we can control. Other than that, go out there and make some noise and raise the excitement here.”
TRAINER’S ROOM
Padres: LHP Jose Castillo has yet to resume throwing but his recovery from a left flexor strain is going as well as possible, according to manager Andy Green. Castillo is traveling with the club as he rehabs. … 1B Eric Hosmer was rested.
Giants: Parra made a quick return to the lineup, one day after his lip was cut when he was struck by a fastball from Brad Wieck. Parra contemplated getting stitches but declined.
UP NEXT
San Diego LHP Nick Margevicius (0-1, 1.80 ERA) takes a third shot at earning his first win in the majors in the series finale Wednesday. Margevicius has pitched five innings in each of his previous two starts. San Francisco counters with RHP Dereck Rodriguez (1-1, 5.23), who has one win in three career starts against the Padres.
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