By JANIE McCAULEY
AP Baseball Writer
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- Matt Cain pitched a one-hitter to match a career best, giving up only a two-out double in the second to Mark Reynolds, and the San Francisco Giants sent the Arizona Diamondbacks to their fifth straight defeat with a 5-0 victory Friday night.
Pablo Sandoval hit a solo home run leading off the eighth, ending a 124 at-bat homerless drought dating to his last drive April 21 at San Diego. Sandoval also had a sacrifice fly and an RBI single, giving him a season-best three RBIs.
Cain (3-4) struck out a season-high nine to end a three-start losing streak. He didn't walk a batter for the first time since his opening start of the year April 7. The right-hander had walked 18 over his previous five May starts after issuing only four free passes in his initial four outings of the year.
The pitcher received a rousing standing ovation when he came up to bat in the eighth -- meaning he was staying in to try to finish the job. He did just that, ending the 122-pitch gem in 2 hours, 18 minutes.
Cain also pitched a one-hitter on May 21, 2006, at Oakland. This was his 10th career complete game and third shutout, first since July 24, 2008, against Washington. He has a 1.81 ERA in May.
Reynolds was the only Arizona baserunner to get to second against Cain. Reynolds was hit by a pitch in the fifth -- the only other time the D-backs reached base.
Freddy Sanchez delivered another key RBI with a first-inning single to put San Francisco ahead. The Giants backed Cain with enough offense for a change.
Sanchez also doubled and walked a day after he hit a go-ahead, two-run single in the seventh inning of a 5-4 win over the Washington Nationals. He has reached base in seven of his eight plate appearances the past two games.
Arizona starter Edwin Jackson (3-6) threw three wild pitches -- two in the first inning -- marking the fifth time a Diamondbacks pitcher has done so. Dan Haren did it twice last year, most recently on Aug. 25 in San Francisco.
Jackson struck out seven and walked five in seven innings. He had won his last two starts on the heels of a four-game losing streak but wasn't as sharp this outing. He didn't get much help from the offense, either.
Arizona, which took two games from the Giants last week in Phoenix, has its third losing streak of five or more games this year. The D-backs lost a season-high seven straight from May 7-14.
San Francisco improved to just 5-12 versus the NL West, kicking off an important six-game stretch at home against the division.
The Giants are 4-0 while wearing their "Orange Friday" home jerseys, outscoring opponents 22-5.
NOTES: Cain threw 83 strikes. ... Arizona INF Tony Abreu, on the 15-day disabled list since Tuesday with a sprained left wrist, was examined by hand specialist Dr. Don Sheridan in Arizona and will still wear a protective splint for a couple of days. He could begin baseball activities when the team returns home. "Great relief," manager A.J. Hinch said. "Looks like we've avoided what could have been a tough loss for a long time for us." ... Giants LHP reliever Jeremy Affeldt, nursing a tweaked left hamstring since Sunday at Oakland, threw a bullpen session and could be available Saturday. ... San Francisco LF Mark DeRosa received a second cortisone shot Thursday in his injured left wrist to help calm down the nerve inflammation that landed him on the DL. DeRosa received the injection during an exam with Baltimore hand specialist Dr. Thomas Graham. DeRosa likely will begin swinging a bat again in a couple of days and could leave on a rehab assignment as soon as Tuesday. ... Arizona C Miguel Montero, on the 15-day DL since April 11 with a right knee sprain, will rejoin the team Saturday and do some baserunning. He will then head out on a rehab assignment at extended spring training.
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