Turnback Tuesday; Giants get 'Cained' again

It was a true Turnback Tuesday, Matt Cain was the Matt Cain of old, and he got the kind of run support that turned his name into a verb.

Cain went eight innings, scattered six hits, and found the loss column as the impotent Giants offense got blanked for the second time in three days, losing to Troy Tulowitzki, uh,Toronto by a 4-0 score.

Matt Cain was better.The Giants offense wasn't. (Getty Images)

Tulowitzki drove in three runs and scored the fourth, and the Giants had no one to counter. San Francisco managed just six hits, all singles, and wasted the few chances it had and a rare strong outing from the back of the rotation.

Yep, Matt once again got "Cained". Seems like old times.

San Francisco simply could get nothing going against Toronto's J.A. Happ. Of course, it's been about a week since they got something going against anyone. Over their last four outings they've totaled just three runs.

The patient yet potent Giants offense has disappeared likeTed Cruz's presidential bid, and hasn't been nearly as entertaining. They swung early, often and with little success.

Happ threw his 50th pitch with two out in the fifth. By comparison, Cain reached that mark in the third and had thrown 70 through five; respecrible numbers but digits that paled in comparison to Happ's, who came within an out of a complete game and did it on 111 throws.

Tulowitzki was the central figure in the drama. He took Cain deep in the second, had sac fly in the seventh and doubled home a run and scored in the ninth. 

The Giants' first true threat came in the sixth, and they messed it up. Jarrett Parker drew a lead-off walk and Kelby Tomlinson followed with a single. Cain was called on to bunt and did so, firmly back to the box. A force at third recorded the first out and also kept the double play in order. Denard Span obliged to end the threat.

Thus inspired, Toronto added on. Michael Saunders' one-out triple set the stage, and Tilowitzki's sac fly delivered.

The best look San Francisco had at the game came in the eighth. Parker singled, and Tulowitzki looked for the force on Tomlinson's nubber to short. Tulo's flip missed the mark and the Giants had runners at the corners.

Public Enemy #1 slides home with the nighs' final run. (AP Photo)

And that was the highlight. Trevor Brown, hitting for Cain, struck out, and Span flied to left to silence the crowd.

Derek Law surrendered two in the ninth on three consecutive two-out hits. Without those tallies the ninth might have been more exciting. A Pence single and walks to Brandon Belt and Matt Duffy loaded the bags with two out, but Parker struck out to end it.

Tomlinson had half the G-Men's hit total, singling three times. Pence, Parker and Joe Panik accounted for the rest. Ass a tea, the Giants left seven men on base and were 0-for-5 with RISP.

The offensive drums are personified by the team's leader. Buster Posey's hitless streak reached 18 at-bats with an 0-for-4.

The loss drops San Francisco back below .500 at 17-18, tied for second with  Arizona in the NL West. Los Angeles vaults into a one-game lead over both with a 3-2 win over the Mets.

The Giants will try to salvage a game on  Wednesday with Madison Bumgarner (4-2, 2.83) getting the call for some day baseball. Marcus Stroman (4-0, 3.60) gets the call for Toronto.

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