SAN FRANCISCO – Pablo Sandoval hit a two-run home run to boost his bid for an All-Star spot and stake rookie Ryan Sadowski to an early lead, and the Giants routed the Houston Astros 13-0 Friday night.
Travis Ishikawa added a three-run homer that initially was ruled a double before the umpire crew went to the replay booth at the urging of Giants manager Bruce Bochy. The ball hit off the railing of the right-field arcade, and Ishikawa stayed at second until getting to finish his trot about three minutes later.
The reviewed hit was the first this season at AT&T Park, where there was one in late September last year after replay was implemented.
Randy Winn had a two-run triple and Nate Schierholtz an RBI single in the Giants' six-run second that chased Felipe Paulino (2-5). San Francisco, which already had 14 of its 15 hits in the third inning, ended a six-game losing streak to the Astros.
"That's the offense I knew we had from the start of the season," Sandoval said.
The Giants' runs were a season high, and this was their majors-best 10th shutout. Jonathan Sánchez pitched two innings of relief to finish it.
"We don't do that very often," Bochy said. "The offense was there. The kid (Sadowski) was good. He was outstanding. We had it all going tonight."
Sadowski pitched another gem in his home debut, not allowing a hit until Lance Berkman's one-out single in the fourth. The 26-year-old right-hander has 13 scoreless innings to start his career, the longest such streak by a Giant since Mike Remlinger had 15 in 1991, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
Sadowski worked six innings in his first big league start Sunday in a 7-0 win at Milwaukee, then topped that with seven more scoreless innings. Pretty impressive for a guy who was not in major league camp this spring training.
Sandoval had an RBI triple in the third. If he and starters Matt Cain and Tim Lincecum are All-Stars, it would be the first time the Giants have sent three players to the Midsummer Classic since Barry Bonds, Robb Nen and Benito Santiago in 2002.
Paulino quickly got in trouble in his first career appearance against the Giants. The right-hander was tagged for nine runs – eight earned – and nine hits in two innings in his second start since being activated from the disabled list following a right groin strain.
GIANTS NOTES
Former Giants right-hander Russ Ortiz starts today for Houston. "I think at heart (I'm still a Giant)," said Ortiz, who pitched Game 6 of the 2002 World Series when San Francisco collapsed against the eventual champion Angels. "Most people recognize me as a Giant. This is where I spent most of my time in the big leagues. This will always be a special part of my career."
• Giants catcher Bengie Molina, nursing a cold, got the night off.
• Outfielder Randy Winn exited the game following the second inning after fouling a ball off his foot.
– Associated Press
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