Heston back in action

It’s time to play the game that nobody wins: Being Johnny Vander Meer.

Vander Meer set a record that won’t ever be broken. That is, unless someone throws three consecutive nohitters. He’s the only pitcher to throw two in a row. He did it in 1938 for the Reds, no-hitting the Boston Bees and four days later, the Brooklyn Dodgers.

Your turn, Chris Heston — he’s coming off nine hitless innings in New York and starts Sunday against Arizona.

Asked about the mind-set he’ll take to the mound, Heston said, “There will be some more confidence, but the mind-set never changes. It’ll be about executing pitches down in the zone, (throwing) as many strikes as possible and letting the defense work.”

The first Giants rookie to throw a no-hitter in 103 years, Heston struck out 11, walked none and plunked three. He was the first pitcher since Sandy Koufax in 1965 to strike out the final three batters in a no-hitter.

“Anytime your name’s getting mentioned anywhere in the same paragraph with Sandy Koufax, it’s pretty special,” Heston said. Pence timetable: Hunter Pence (left wrist tendinitis) could begin baseball activity Monday, manager Bruce Bochy said. It would appear he wouldn’t be ready to come off the disabled list when eligible Thursday, but Bochy said, “I wouldn’t put (the chances) at zero, not with Hunter.”

The injury — he hyperextended the wrist when diving for a ball June 2 — might be related to the broken forearm he sustained in March. He said a bone callus formed, preventing the tendon from sliding naturally.

Peavy, Cain plans: Bochy guessed Jake Peavy (strained back) has three more rehab starts and Matt Cain (forearm strain) three or four. Their next starts are with Triple-A Sacramento, Cain on Monday and Peavy on Tuesday.

“Each start, we’ll re-evaluate them,” Bochy said.