SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 14 (UPI) -- Clayton Richard and three relievers blanked San Francisco over the final eight innings Friday and San Diego opened a key series with a 3-2 win over the Giants.
The Padres won their fifth straight and extended their lead over the second-place Giants in the National League West to 3 1/2 games.
San Francisco scored twice in the opening frame off Richard (10-5), but he settled down to hold the Giants in check for the rest of his six-inning stint. Richard gave up six hits.
Luke Gregerson, Mike Adams and Heath Bell combined to give up a lone hit over the last three innings. Bell issued a one-out walk in the ninth before earning his 35th save.
San Diego quickly tied it in the second when Chase Headley tripled in a run and then scored on a sacrifice fly by Jerry Hairston.
The Padres pushed across the eventual winning run in the sixth. Adrian Gonzalez opened the inning with a double off Jonathan Sanchez (8-8) and went to third on Ryan Ludwick's single.
Gonzalez was then out at home trying to score on a grounder to third by Yorvit Torrealba. Ludwick moved to third on the play and then beat the throw home on Headley's grounder to shortstop.
