Latos pitches 1-hitter for first complete game

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Mat Latos pitched a one-hitter, allowing just a sixth-inning single that deflected off him, and also drove in the lone run to lead the San Diego Padres over the San Francisco Giants 1-0 Thursday for a three-game sweep.

Latos (3-3) retired the first 15 batters. Eli Whiteside opened the sixth with a one hopper that hit off Latos' glove hand and bounced toward shortstop. Third baseman Chase Headley's throw to first wasn't in time.

The Padres swept the Giants in their ballpark for the first time since May 27-29, 2005 - and for the second time this season.

The Padres moved 3 1/2 games ahead of the Giants in the NL West and wrapped up an impressive 5-1 road trip, improving to 6-0 this season against San Francisco. San Diego has won 10 of the last 13 in the rivalry.

Latos ran his scoreless-innings streak to 18 as he outdueled lefty Jonathan Sanchez (2-3), who no-hit San Diego here last July 10, to win his second straight start and get his first career complete game. He struck out six and didn't walk a batter in a 106-pitch gem that ended in 2 hours, 6 minutes.

Latos combined on a six-hit shutout of the Giants on April 20 in San Diego, a game the Padres won 1-0 despite managing just one hit. He did it all himself this time.

After Whiteside reached base, Matt Downs got aboard on a fielder's choice and that was it for the Giants. Latos slapped a high-five with catcher Nick Hundley as they headed into the dugout after the eighth.

Latos' bid for a perfect game, though it lasted only five innings, provided some excitement only four days after Oakland's Dallas Braden pitched the 19th perfect game in major league history across San Francisco Bay on Sunday against Tampa Bay.

This wasn't much different. He singled in the Padres' first run with two outs in the fifth, the second straight day a starter drove in a run to help his cause.

The Giants have scored just eight total runs in their six losses this year to San Diego.

They didn't do much in this one to help Sanchez, who allowed three hits and one run in eight sharp innings. He struck out five and walked one.

Since losing its first two series of the season at Arizona and Colorado, San Diego has won seven of its last eight.

NOTES: Padres C Yorvit Torrealba had the day off, as did Giants starting backstop Bengie Molina save for a pinch-hit appearance in the ninth. ... The earliest the Giants could welcome back sidelined 2B Freddy Sanchez is Wednesday at Arizona. He is on a rehab assignment as he works back from December surgery on his non-throwing left shoulder. ... Giants LF Mark DeRosa received a cortisone injection Wednesday in his troublesome left wrist and was out of the starting lineup for a fourth straight game Thursday. He will be given a few more days of rest and hopes to test his wrist by taking some swings this weekend. If he's not much better by Sunday, the Giants would likely place him on the disabled list. ... On Friday, the Padres will launch their Stand Up to Cancer campaign, including "SU2C Signing Walls" at the home plate and East Village entrances to Petco Park - part of the club's season-long effort to raise awareness and funds for cancer research.