Cain roughed up, Anderson leads Milwaukee past Giants

MILWAUKEE — Backed by an early lead and supported with solid defense, Chase Anderson turned in another gem for the Milwaukee Brewers.

Anderson pitched 7 2/3 shutout innings, drove in a run and won his third straight game, Hernan Pirez homered and the Brewers beat the San Francisco Giants 5-2 on Tuesday night.

“It’s been fun lately, that’s for sure,” Anderson said. “It’s nice when your offense comes out and gets you a little lead. You can relax a little bit.”

Anderson (5-1) extended his scoreless streak to 21 2/3 innings with the win. He walked one, struck out four and helped the Brewers beat the Giants for just the third time in the last 17 games against them.

Anderson went seven innings in each of his last two starts. He allowed one hit and struck out a career-high 11 May 27 against Arizona. Against the New York Mets, he fanned seven and scattered three hits.

“Three starts, no runs. That’s driving the bus,” manager Craig Counsell said.

Anderson kept his shutout going by stranding Brandon Crawford at third in the fifth. Anderson escaped the sixth when Brandon Belt grounded out to first with runners at first and second and two outs.

“Hats off to the defense tonight,” Anderson said. “The plays they made were just spectacular.”

The Brewers turned three double plays for Anderson, two of them started by third baseman Pirez.

“The double plays got us tonight,” Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. “Those are rally-killers. We just couldn’t keep it moving tonight.”

Anderson collected his first RBI of the season and the fifth of his career in the third with a double off the wall in left.

The fans let Brewers reliever Carlos Torres hear it after he gave up three straight singles and two runs in the ninth. Buster Posey drove in a run before Torres’ throwing error trying to start a double play allowed another run in. Corey Knebel came on with runners at first and second, no outs and retired three straight for his sixth save.

The Brewers roughed up Matt Cain (3-5) with four runs in the second, highlighted by a solo home run from Pirez and Eric Sogard’s two-run bloop double into short left field. Domingo Santana capped it with an RBI single.

Cain allowed 10 hits, two walks and struck out three over five innings.