By Jeremy Kahn

SAN FRANCISCO-Jake Peavy pitched a game like he knew that the San Francisco Giants playoff hopes were on his shoulders.

It was solid night for Peavy, as he went seven innings, allowing just one run on just two hits, walking no one and striking out two on his way to evening his record at 6-6 on the season and the Giants defeated the San Diego Padres 9-1 before a crowd of 41,621, the 393rd consecutive sellout at AT&T Park.

This was the first time Peavy defeated the Padres in his major league career, as he now is 1-1 versus the team he pitched for from 2002-2009.

The only hits Peavy allowed were to Justin Upton, who hit a 406-foot home run to lead off the second inning, and Upton hit a single with two outs in the top of the seventh inning to stop a streak of 17 in a row retired by Peavy.

With the win, coupled with the Arizona Diamondbacks 12-4 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers at Chase Field, the Giants cut the Dodgers lead down 7.5 in the National League West. This was the first time since August 21 that the Giants gained ground on the Dodgers.

The defensive play of the night came just before Upton’s single in the top of the seventh inning, as Angel Pagan took away a sure home run off the bat of Matt Kemp.

Buster Posey continues his quest for another batting title, as he singled in the eventual game-winning run in the bottom of the second inning that scored Alejandro De Aza, who led the inning with a single of his own.

Marlon Byrd then drove in the second run of the inning, as he singled in Matt Duffy, who singled after De Aza. Kelby Tomlinson continues to shine as a replacement for Joe Panik, as he reached on a fielders choice in his second consecutive at-bat and then stole second for the second time in as many at-bats. Ehire Adrianza then walked to load the bases, but the rally ended there, when Peavy struck out to end the inning.

Adrianza extended the lead up to 4-1 in the bottom of the fifth inning, as he singled off of Andrew Cashner to score Brandon Belt. Peavy then helped out his own cause, as he singled off of Cashner to score Tomlinson, who singled after Byrd struck out for the second out of the inning.

Cashner went 4.2 innings, allowing five runs on nine hits, while walking five and striking out seven, as he fell to 5-15 on the season.

Brandon Belt scored in the bottom of the seventh inning, as he scored from third base on the third fielders choice of the night by Tomlinson. Jarrett Parker hit a long ground-rule double to right-center to score Tomlinson, and Adrianza stopped at third base after he picked up his second hit of the night.

It was a big night for Byrd, as he went three-for-four on the night.

Cory Spangenberg picked up a hit for the Padres in the top of the eighth inning, as he singled to left field off of reliever Javier Lopez.

Kemp singled off of Brett Bochy in the top of the ninth inning.

Cory Gearrin made his Giants debut in replacing Peavy in the top of the eighth inning, and he responded by getting Derek Norris to ground out to second base and then struck out pinch hitter Alex Dickerson before replaced by Lopez.

NOTES: Matt Cain returned to the active after a rehabilitation assignment with nerve inflammation in his elbow, and Parker was recalled from Triple-A Sacramento.

Gregor Blanco is considered day-to-day after being diagnosed with a concussion.

Madison Bumgarner will take the mound on Saturday for the Giants, while Ian Kennedy will take the mound for the Padres.