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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- Persistence paid off for Livan Hernandez.
|  | | Giants starter Livan Hernandez is lifted by catcher Bobby Estalella after his first career shutout on Friday. |
After several near misses this season, the San Francisco Giants
right-hander got his first shutout in his 105th major league start,
defeating Atlanta and Greg Maddux 2-0 Friday night.
"It took a long time, but it feels great," Hernadez said after
pitching a four-hitter. "I didn't go into the game with the idea
of pitching a shutout, but after I got through six innings, I knew
I had a chance."
Hernandez (12-9) had taken shutouts into the eighth inning five
previous times this season and had taken three into the ninth.
Maddux (13-6) almost was as good, allowing five hits and
striking out eight in seven innings. The difference Rich Aurilia's
two-out, two-run homer in the fourth.
"I had to pitch well because Maddux pitched a great game,
too," Hernandez said.
"This was Hernandez' strongest effort, and he's been getting
better and better the last couple of months," Giants manager Dusty
Baker said.
Hernandez struck out a season-high 10, walked two and did not
allow a runner past first base.
"Livan is really hitting his spots with all his pitches,"
Giants catcher Bobby Estallela said. "He's got guys lunging at the
ball all the time. Early in the season, he wasn't getting his
breaking ball down consistently, but he's been outstanding for a
couple of months now."
Atlanta has scored just 10 runs in Maddux' last six starts, a
stretch in which he is 1-5 despite a 2.72 earned-run average.
"It goes that way sometimes," Maddux said with a shrug. "I
feel good about the way I've been pitching. I'm not upset at the
pitch on the home run to Aurilia. That was a case of good hitting.
I'm more upset at the ball that J.T. (Snow) hit for a single just
before that. I got the ball up, and he kept the inning going."
Snow singled with two outs in the fourth, and Aurilia followed
with a drive just inside the left-field foul pole for his 14th
homer.
Chipper Jones, who earlier this week agreed to a $90 million,
six-year contract extension, got an infield hit in the ninth for
his 1,000th career hit.
Game notes
The Giants are 31-13 in their last 44 games. ... Atlanta
was blanked for the sixth time this season. San Francisco pitchers
have thrown a league-leading nine shutouts. ... The Giants (69-51)
are a season-best 18 games above .500. ... Maddux has a 2.72 ERA in
his last six starts but is just 1-5 during that stretch. ...
Hernandez is 5-2 since the All-Star break.
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ALSO SEE
Baseball Scoreboard
Atlanta Clubhouse
San Francisco Clubhouse
Chipper deal done: Atlanta gives Jones $90 million
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