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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
PITTSBURGH (AP) -- Pittsburgh Pirates manager Gene Lamont was
right when he thought some extra rest might help Kris Benson break
an almost eight-week winless streak.
Benson allowed one hit in eight innings to win for the first
time since July 8, as the Pirates blanked the San Francisco Giants
8-0 Tuesday night.
|  | | Kris Benson's one-hitter against the Giants was his first victory since before the All-Star break. |
Benson (9-11) was 0-5 in eight starts since beating Minnesota
just before the All-Star break. He was struggling with his control,
which prompted Lamont to push his scheduled start back three days
and give him more rest.
The right-hander allowed only an opposite-field single to Barry
Bonds in the first inning. Benson walked five, struck out seven and
was lifted after throwing 119 pitches. Josias Manzanillo finished
the one-hitter.
"He had great stuff," Lamont said. "He was a little wild with
the walks, but that probably had to do with the fact he hadn't been
out there in a while. He needed a win. Even though he was pitching
pretty well, it's tough to go that long without a win."
Benson welcomed the extra time off because he felt his command
was slipping as he approached the 200-inning mark for the first
time.
"I'm sure the rest affected my control a little bit but I was
able to stay down in the zone and get some groundballs," Benson
said. "I was able to attack them with my fastball. That's
definitely a plus when you feel strong out there and the ball is
moving for you."
Benson had no regrets about the pitch that Bonds flicked off the
end of his bat and into short left field.
"It almost sounded like he broke his bat, although I don't
think he did," Benson said. "It was a good pitch. I definitely
wouldn't change the pitch on that one."
Livan Hernandez (13-10), coming off consecutive shutouts of
Atlanta and Florida, was knocked out before retiring a batter in
the third inning -- his shortest outing in 107 career starts, except
for injuries.
He gave up three runs in the first inning, retired the side in
order in the second, then was chased in the third when he allowed
four consecutive extra-base hits. He allowed seven runs and seven
hits in two-plus innings.
"He was due for a night like this," Giants manager Dusty Baker
said. "Everybody has them now and then. Randy Johnson just had one
the other night."
"I made some good pitches that they missed and they hit some
good pitches," Hernandez said. "I don't know why it was. I wasn't
thinking about a shutout or anything else. I just wanted to win the
game. That's it."
Enrique Wilson hit a two-run double in the first and scored on
Warren Morris' single for a 3-0 lead.
Adrian Brown opened the third with a double and scored on Jason
Kendall's triple. Brian Giles doubled and John Vander Wal hit his
18th home run to make it 7-0.
Morris added an RBI single in the fifth off Joe Nathan.
The Pirates broke a five-game losing streak with their fourth
win in 15 games.
Game notes
The last Giants pitcher to pitch more than two consecutive
shutouts was Gaylord Perry, who had three straight in 1970. ... San
Francisco 1B J.T. Snow went 0-for-3 and is in a 3-for-29 slump. ...
Brown extended his career-best hitting streak to 12 games. ...
Wilson made his first start at third base in place of Aramis
Ramirez, who went on the disabled list with a separated shoulder
sustained in Monday's game. ... Vander Wal subbed at first for
Kevin Young, who has a slight groin pull.
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ALSO SEE
Baseball Scoreboard
San Francisco Clubhouse
Pittsburgh Clubhouse
RECAPS
Boston 8
Tampa Bay 0
Detroit 12
Baltimore 2
Kansas City 7
Minnesota 3
Cleveland 12
Texas 1
Anaheim 9
Toronto 4
Chi. White Sox 3
Oakland 0
Seattle 5
NY Yankees 3
Florida 3
St. Louis 1
Arizona 8
Montreal 7
Pittsburgh 8
San Francisco 0
Houston 11
NY Mets 1
Colorado 2
Philadelphia 1
Cincinnati 4
Atlanta 2
Chicago Cubs 7
San Diego 6
Los Angeles 7
Milwaukee 2
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