By Jeremy Kahn

AP photo: San Francisco Giants pitcher Jeff Samardjiza throws to the Atlanta Braves in the seventh inning of Friday night’s game at AT&T Park

SAN FRANCISCO-Maybe Matt Moore’s outstanding performance for the San Francisco Giants on Thursday night brought some morale back to the team.

Jeff Samardzjia went seven innings, allowing zero runs on hits, while walking three and striking out six, as the Giants defeated the Atlanta Braves 7-0 before a crowd of 41,283, the 472nd consecutive regular season sellout at AT&T Park.

With the win, coupled with the Chicago Cubs dramatic ninth inning comeback over the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium, the Giants move within one game of the Dodgers in the National League Western Division.

Giants pitchers have not allowed a run in 22-straight innings, the last time that they allowed a run was in the fourth inning on a Justin Turner of the Los Angeles Dodgers home run on Wednesday night at Dodger Stadium.

This was the second time this season that the Giants have thrown back-to-back shutouts, the last time was against the Chicago Cubs on May 22 and then on May 23 against the San Diego Padres.

On the other hand, this was the 12th time this season that the Braves have been shutout, with the last time coming against the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium on August 5.

Samardzjia helped out his cause in the bottom of the fourth inning, as he lined a double off the left field wall and then scored on a Denard Span single.

The Giants offense began to click with two outs in the bottom of the first inning, as they scored three runs off of Braves starter Joel De La Cruz. Brandon Belt singled in Buster Posey, then Brandon Crawford hit an infield single and Posey advanced to third on a Dansby Swanson throwing error.

Both Belt and Crawford then scored on a Joe Panik two-run double to give the Giants a commanding 3-0 lead.

This was the first time since May 28 against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field that the Giants have scored three or more runs in an inning.

Angel Pagan got in the hit parade, as he launched his ninth home run onto the arcade in the bottom of the second inning. Gorkys Hernandez also scored on the home run, as he reach on a Jace Peterson error.

Belt drove in his second run of the game in the bottom of the fifth inning, as he singled in Posey, who led off the inning with a single, went to second on a wild pitch and then onto third on Crawford flyout to right field and Posey scored Belt doubled.

De La Cruz lasted just four innings, allowing six runs (three of them earned) on seven hits and striking out two.

In five of his eight starts in the major leagues, De La Cruz has received zero run support and has received 1.32 runs as a starter.