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* Cain extends streak beyond 21 innings without earned run
* Rangers relievers walk four straight in seven-run eighth
The San Francisco Giants seized a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven World Series by blanking Texas 9-0 on Thursday behind the sterling pitching of Matt Cain and an eighth-inning meltdown by the Rangers relievers.
Cain held the Rangers to four hits in 7-2/3 shutout innings as he extended his post-season streak to 21-1/3 innings without yielding an earned run in a taut pitchers' duel that turned into a stroll for San Francisco.
We've put ourselves in a good situation, Cain said about the Giants moving within two more wins of claiming the team's first Fall Classic crown in 56 years.
Edgar Renteria homered in the fifth inning and Juan Uribe singled home another run in the seventh to spoil a strong effort by Rangers starter C.J. Wilson, who left in the seventh inning due to a blister on his left middle finger.
Four straight walks by Rangers relievers in the eighth inning launched a seven-run outburst that turned the game for the Giants.
We benefited from the walks, we know it, and we kept the line moving. Giants manager Bruce Bochy told reporters. You take all the runs you can get.
The tight 2-0 contest dissolved when Texas manager Ron Washington brought left-handed reliever Derek Holland into the game with two out and a runner on first.
Holland walked three straight batters, one on four pitches, to force in one run before giving way to Mark Lowe, who walked Juan Uribe to let in another run.
A single by Renteria, a triple by pinch-hitter Aaron Rowand and a double by Andres Torres completed the humiliation.
I thought he would correct himself, Washington said about staying with Holland. I felt like he could finally get back in the groove. I didn't expect 12 balls...but it happened.
The series now shifts to Texas for Game Three on Saturday with Game Four and a Game Five, if necessary, also to be played in Arlington.
TAUT BATTLE
Following an opening night surprise in which ace pitchers Cliff Lee of Texas and San Francisco's Tim Lincecum started a game that ended up 11-7, Cain and Wilson delivered a tense battle.
The Rangers came within inches of scoring the game's first in the top of the fifth inning when lead-off hitter Ian Kinsler's towering fly hit the very top of the wall in center and bounced back onto the field holding him to a double.
Kinsler could not budge from second as David Murphy lined out to short, Matt Treanor grounded to short and after an intentional walk to Mitch Moreland, Wilson grounded to first.
Renteria's blast in the bottom of the fifth put the Giants ahead 1-0 but the Rangers mounted a bigger threat in the sixth.
After one-out singles by Michael Young and Josh Hamilton, a wild pitch by Cain moved them to second and third.
However, Cain preserved his slender lead by getting Nelson Cruz to foul out to the first baseman and then induced a fly to right from Kinsler, who slammed down his helmet in frustration.
San Francisco scratched out another run in the seventh on a walk, an out and a bloop single to right by Uribe.
The AT&T Park crowd of nearly 44,000 waved their orange rally towels and sang along with Journey's lead singer and Giants fan Steve Perry in a rendition of Lights before the home team came to bat in the eighth.
The Giants then proceeded to light up the scoreboard to the delight of a packed stadium that included other former sports champions Joe Montana of the NFL and the NHL's Wayne Gretzky.
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