Padres' Germano shuts down Cards for first win in three years

Padres 3, Cardinals 0

SAN DIEGO (AP) -- Justin Germano wants to show he belongs with the San Diego Padres.

Germano allowed three hits in seven innings for his first major league win in three years, leading the San Diego Padres over the St. Louis Cardinals 3-0 Sunday.

"I don't want to be the guy who goes up and down from the minors to the majors and back again," Germano said. "I want to prove that I belong up here to stay."

Germano (1-0), a sinkerballer brought up from Triple-A Portland on May 7, struck out three and walked none in his seventh major league start, his second this season. The 24-year-old right-hander's only other major league win came in his debut with the Padres, on May 22, 2004, at Philadelphia.

Last Tuesday at Atlanta, Germano pitched six innings and left with a 2-1 lead but the bullpen blew it in a 4-2 loss. Germano, who spent last year with Cincinnati, has a 2-3 major league record.

"He backed up a very good game in Atlanta with an even better one today," San Diego manager Bud Black said. "He located his fastball with movement. He really had them off balance."

Taking the turn of injured starter Clay Hensley, Germano retired his first 13 batters before Scott Rolen's single with one out in the fifth. He worked out of his only jam after pinch-hitter Ryan Ludwick and Adam Kennedy had back-to-back singles with two outs in the sixth. Germano retired Chris Duncan on an inning-ending flyout.

"The biggest difference for me is I have a more aggressive attitude," Germano said. "The other times up, I was a little timid, and that isn't how I pitched in the minor leagues."

St. Louis was shut out for a major league high sixth time. The Cardinals were blanked for the fourth time in 10 games and the second time in the series -- St. Louis had five runs and 13 hits in the three games.

"He's one of those pitchers you hope to face when you come to the yard," Aaron Miles said. "You've got to take your approach against him. Obviously, we didn't do that."

Scott Linebrink and Trevor Hoffman finished the three-hitter, with Hoffman pitching the ninth for his 492nd save, his 10th in 12 chances this year.

Anthony Reyes (0-6) allowed three runs, five hits and three walks in five innings. He has lost seven straight regular-season decisions dating to last season -- but did win the World Series opener against Detroit.

St. Louis has scored just eight runs in Reyes' seven starts this season.

"The team isn't taking care of him well," Cardinals manager Tony La Russa said. "We've got to do a better job for Anthony. It's embarrassing."

San Diego took a 2-0 lead in the first when Marcus Giles led off with a walk, Jose Cruz Jr. doubled, Brian Giles hit a run-scoring groundout and Adrian Gonzalez followed with an RBI single.

Reyes balked home a run in the fifth after Marcus Giles walked and Cruz singled him to third.

Game notes
Following the Cardinals' 5-0 win on Saturday night, and a 7-0 San Diego victory on Friday night, Sunday's shutout marked the first time there have been three shutouts in a three-game series in San Diego since June 8-10, 1976, against the New York Mets. ... Reyes' last regular-season win was Sept. 3 over Pittsburgh. ... Marcus Giles returned to San Diego's lineup after missing Saturday night's game with a strained oblique muscle.