Sabathia pitched a complete game for the 2ND straight start

07/19/2008 1:01 AM ET

Box >

Sabathia dominant against Giants
Brewers ace goes the distance in series opener
By Adam McCalvy / MLB.com

SAN FRANCISCO -- The Brewers began the second half just like they ended the first, riding another masterful CC Sabathia start to a 9-1 win over the Giants at AT&T Park.

Sabathia pitched a complete game for the second straight start, allowing two Giants hits and improving to 3-0 since a trade from Cleveland to Milwaukee. Friday's win came five days after Sabathia went the distance to beat the Reds at Miller Park in the Brewers' final game before the All-Star break.

Prince Fielder hit a three-run home run in Milwaukee's four-run seventh inning, and J.J. Hardy drove in a pair of runs as the Brewers beat Giants right-hander Matt Cain (5-8), who was charged with four runs, three of them earned, on seven hits and five walks in six innings.

Until San Francisco center fielder Aaron Rowand hit a solo home run leading off the eighth inning, Sabathia had allowed only one hit. Giants center fielder Fred Lewis led off the bottom of the first inning and narrowly legged out an infield hit to shortstop that momentarily popped out of J.J. Hardy's glove. It was immediately ruled a hit.

Lewis was promptly erased on a double-play grounder, the first of 17 hitters retired in order by Sabathia, who grew up in nearby Vallejo, Calif. and had 90 family members and friends in the stands on Friday. Lewis snapped that streak when he reached on an error in the seventh.

Adam McCalvy is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.