In Progress: Padres, Giants Begin Four-Game Battle For First Place In NL West

San Diego, CA (Sports Network) - Matt Cain threw eight-plus solid innings and was backed by an offense that smacked four home runs, as the San Francisco Giants beat the San Diego Padres, 7-3, in the opener of a critical four-game series.

Cain (11-10) gave up three runs on five hits and a walk, and struck out eight in the victory, which pulled the Giants within one game of the NL West-leading Padres.

San Francisco also sits one game behind Atlanta in the wild card chase, as the Braves lost to St. Louis on Thursday.

Aubrey Huff went 3-for-4 with a two-run shot, while Buster Posey also hit a two-run homer. Juan Uribe and Pat Burrell added solo blasts for San Francisco, which has won five of six.

Jon Garland (13-11) took the loss after allowing six runs on eight hits and three walks in five innings. Will Venable and Ryan Ludwick homered for the Padres, who were coming off a three-game sweep of Los Angeles.

The Giants got a run in the first inning, as Andres Torres began the game with a triple before scoring on Freddy Sanchez's single. Sanchez then singled with one out in the third inning and crossed the plate when Huff homered to center.

Venable led off the third with a homer to get San Diego within 3-1, but Uribe got that run back in the next inning, when he hit his 20th home run of the season.

The Giants kept adding on, as Huff doubled in the fifth before Posey slammed his 12th homer, making it a 6-1 contest.

Burrell then led off the sixth with a blast off Kevin Correia that reached the highest floor of the Western Metal Supply Company building in left field.

Cain stayed on the mound for the ninth inning and surrendered a two-run blast to Ludwick, and was removed after that. Javier Lopez and Ramon Ramirez closed the game from there.

Thursday marked the first time the Giants hit four home runs in Petco Park...Cain pitched at least eight innings for the eighth time this season...Garland has lost his last three starts...Despite the loss, San Diego still leads the season series, 9-3...Sanchez finished with three hits for the Giants...Ludwick also doubled for the Padres.