Cain looked like Cain; Casilla looked like, well ....

You could say it was a "challenging" afternoon.

Giants fans have talked for years about getting "Cained", but Sunday it almost reached an absurd level before some equilibrium returned to the universe and San Francisco defeated Arizona 2-1.

The game had everything: pitching, defense, blown calls, Santiago Casilla stinking up the joint -- just a typical afternoon at the ballpark.

Cain looked like Cain, and that meant getting "Cained" (AP Photo)

And, of course, it ended not on the field but in a replay booth sequestered in New Jersey when both teams issued challenges to parts of the same play.

You can't make this stuff up without some serious chemical enhancements.

It's a benchmark win in some respects. The Giants regained first place in the NL West (LA fell to St. Louis) and won a season-high fifth straight game. It also avenged a four-game sweep the D-Backs laid on the Giants last month at AT&T Park. 

Eight games have been played between the two: visitors lead 8-0. That's one awesome frequent flyer reward.

The Giants managed just one hit into the eighth off Arizona starter Rubby De La Rosa and friends. Fortunately for San Francisco that one hit was Trevor Brown's fourth homer of the season, and it was a key factor as the Giants outlasted the opposition.

It was the second straight strong outing for Matt Cain, and the second straight time he could justify suing his teammates for non-support. It also put the Giants four games over .500 for the first time since they opened the season at 6-2.

After Brown's fourth inning bolt. The Giants didn't even threaten again until De La Rosa walked a pair with two gone in the seventh. With Brown at the plate, De La Rosa gave way to Tyler Clippard and the bespectacled hurler dispatched Brown on three pitches.

Cain hadn't dominated but scattered six hits through as many innings. He allowed a solitary fourth-inning run by wild pitching Jake Lamb to third base after his one-out double, then surrendering a sac fly to Paul Goldschmidt.

Cain dodged trouble in the seventh. Brandon Drury's lead-off single was his third hit of the game, and he moved up 90 feet on a sacrifice. Jean Segura got Drury to third with a fly ball but Cain convinced Chris Owings to ground out on his 111th, and final, pitch of the game.

The longest-tenured Giants walked two and struck out five in allowing just the one earned run. Then the game belonged to the bullpens. Both blinked, but Arizona got the worst of it.

Hunter slides home with the game-winner. (AP Photo)

After getting one hit over eight frames, the Giants openers the ninth with three. Hunter Pence, Brandon Belt and Brandon Crawford delivered singles to chase home the go-ahead run; a run Casilla tried hard to give back. A walk and single put runners at the corners with one out. Rickie Weeks grounded to second to start an apparent 4-6-3 double play to end it, and the fun began.

Umpires ruled Weeks safe at first saying Belt came off the bag; a ruling proven to be in error by replay. Arizona challenged the out at second, saying Crawford didn't maintain contact with the bag, and they had an argument.

Umps donned the headsets and pretended to deliberate while actually listening to Barry Manilow's greatest hits; finally ruling that Drury had left his lane sliding into second.

Double play. Game over. Thank you, Chase Utley. And because of the furor, everyone will forget how badly Casilla pitched ... again.

The Giants get a rare day off om Monday, just there third of the season, before kicking off a three-game set Tuesday at San Diego.

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