Giants' streak reaches historic levels

History. For the first time in 103 years the Giants went on the road for at least seven games and came home perfect; true thanks to Thursday's 3-1 win in San Diego. 

The glorious trek through Arizona and San Diego is rivaled only by an 8-0 sprint in 1913. For a proper frame of reference, Christy Matthewson won three of those contests. There were times this year the Giants would have lost to Christy Turlington. Not now.

Best of all, all seven wins on the trip came within the National League West. Bonus

Heroes of the night. (Getty Images)

Jeff Samardzija turned in the latest in a run of quality starts, throwing eight standout frames to outlast James Shields and get his sixth win of the season as San Francisco continued to dominate the Padres. They've now taken 14 of 17 from the Friars and are winners of all six meetings this season. 

At 25-18, the Giants have won a season-best eight in succession and rest atop the NL West by 3 1/2 games over Los Angeles and Colorado, both losers on Thursday.

The run certainly hasn't been due to offense. The Giants have put up just 29 tallies during the streak and only 24 on the road trip, but the arms have been the story.

But ya gotta score some runs to win, and the Giants stuck first on their weirdest double play of the season. Denard Span walked to open the game, took second on Joe Panik's infield hit, and both moved up on Matt Duffy's swinging bunt. That set the stage for Buster Posey, who flied to right.

The Shark took a bite out of San Diego. Yeah, its a tired joke but we're easily amused. (AP Photo)

Span tagged and tested the arm of Matt Kemp, who had no intention of throwing home. His toss went to third where Panik, looking to take an extra 90 feet, was a sitting duck. Still, Span scored ahead of the play and the Giants had a quick lead.

The Padres quickly answered. Alexi Amarista's two-out double in the second drove home Christian Berhancort to knot the score.

The Giants needed a break, and got  one, to retake a one-run lead in the fourth. 

The severe overshift San Diego employed against Duffy put Kemp out of position on a looper down the right field line, and his attempted catch saw the ball clang off his glove as though Chuck Barriss was making a comeback. Hunter Pence made the two-base miscue hurt, cueing an RBI single to center.

Shields wiggled out of a tight spot (one out, runners at the corners) in the sixth, but got touched up an inning later. As the Padres designated ace neared 100 pitches, Brandon Crawford found one he liked and lined it over the right field wall for a 3-1 edge.

Meanwhile, Samardzija was cruising --and the bullpen was in desperate need of a Starbucks run. The Shark had given up just three baserunners while striking out eight, needing only 95 pitches to clear eight frames.

Meanwhile, bullpen was searching for pillows, a blankie and a comfy spot. No Giants reliever had seen the field since Sunday in Arizona. Ron Burgundy could have donned a uniform and gone unnoticed. It seemed there were no participation trophies to be had but it was a pleasant trip to the Plymouth of the West (swear to God, that's a real thing), and the botanical garden at Balboa Park was nice.

He was there. We swear it!

Then the phone rang. Whether it was due to a tired arm, sense of adventure or simple mercy, Manager Bruce Bochy tempted fate and brought in so-called closer Santiago Casilla.

Samaedzija had retired 19 straight. Casilla gave up a single to John Jay on his second pitch and San Diego had the tying run at the plate with 2-3-4 coming up. Giants fans everywhere had that sick feeling in the pit of their stomachs.

Jekyl (or was it Hyde?) fanned the next two hitters before Brett Wallace lined a bullet to short right -- where the overshifting Panik made a diving grab to end it. Plans for Santiago Casilla Night at AT&T Park, where fans intended to burn him in effigy, were put on hold.

Panik also figured prominently in the offense.snapping out of an extended funk with four of the Giants' nine hits. Crawford had a pair while Pence, Posey and Angel Pagan provided the rest.

The high-flying G-Men play host to Chicago over the weekend, then look forward to a return visit from the Padres to finish a six-game homestand. They'll have their work cut out for them in the quest for a ninth straight win; reigning Cy Young winner Jake Arietta (7-0, 1.29 ERA) is Friday's foe. The Giants counter with Jake Peavy (1-4, 7.43).

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