By Jeremy Kahn

Once again, the San Francisco Giants played a tight game against an opponent from the National League West, and there is a pattern brewing.

Matt Cain pitched a great game, as he went seven innings, allowing one run and scattering four hits, as the San Diego Padres hung on to defeat the Giants 2-1 at Petco Park.

It is a tough start to the season for Cain, who drops to 0-3 on the season; however he struck out eight and walk two in seven innings.

Tyson Ross did not allow a run, while scattering four hits and struck out nine in eight innings, as he improves to 2-1 on the season.

This was the eighth consecutive one-run game for the Giants, the first time that the Giants have accomplished this feat since 1910, when they played in New York.

According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the Giants are the first major league team to turn the feat since the Minnesota Twins accomplished it from July 10-20, 2005.

Chris DeNorfia scored the Padres first run of the night in the bottom of the first inning ,as the former Oakland A’s outfielder tripled off of Cain and then scored on a Hector Sanchez passed ball.

Yasmani Grandal gave the Padres some breathing room in the bottom of the eighth inning, as he took a Juan Gutierrez pitch over the right field wall to give the Padres a 2-0 lead.

It was the first home run of the season for Grandal, who was pinch hitting for Padres starting pitcher and former A’s pitcher Ross, who attended Bishop O’Dowd High School in Oakland, before going to UC Berkeley.

Hunter Pence singled off of Street with two outs, but Street got Sanchez to struck out swinging to end the game.

Brandon Belt got the Giants within one run in the top of the ninth inning, as he took a former A’s closer Huston Steet pitch and put it into the right field stands for his sixth home run of the season.