Sadowski sparkles in major league debut, Giants stop Brewers 7-0 to finally win in Milwaukee

Sadowski sparkles for Giants in debut

MILWAUKEE — Ryan Sadowski scattered four hits over six scoreless innings in his major league debut and the San Francisco Giants avoided a three-game sweep with a 7-0 win over the Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday.

Matt Downs hit his first major league homer and Nate Schierholtz had four hits, including a homer for the Giants, who snapped a six-game skid in Milwaukee after watching a 6-4 lead in the bottom of the ninth crumble Saturday night.

With the shadows creeping across the infield, the 26-year-old Sadowski (1-0) worked in and out of trouble and the Giants took advantage of Brewers starter Jeff Suppan’s sudden struggles.

Suppan (5-6) labored through a 43-pitch second inning that featured two walks and a hit batter. Edgar Renteria’s ground-rule double with no outs scored the first run and it appeared Suppan would get out of it after striking out Sadowski with the bases loaded for the second out.

But Suppan walked Randy Winn and Fred Lewis hit an infield single to put San Francisco up three.

In the fifth, Pablo Sandoval doubled to reach base safely for the 23rd consecutive game and came around to score on Travis Ishikawa’s single to make it 4-0. Sandoval, who left in the sixth inning because of stomach illness, also homered three times in this series.

That set the stage for Downs, who hit Suppan’s pitch deep to left field in the sixth to make it 5-0, a lead finally comfortable enough for the Giants not to squander here. San Francisco also added a run in the eighth on a single by Winn before Schierholtz’s homer in the ninth.

Sadowski, a right-hander who replaced Jonathan Sanchez in the rotation, collected his first major league hit in the fourth and was just as solid on the mound. After nearly being hit by a liner in the first inning by Fielder, he took a line drive off his right leg above the knee by Ryan Braun in the sixth.

Sadowski stayed in the game even with a slight limp and left after the inning, walking three and striking out two.

Milwaukee, shut out for the first time since April 18, hasn’t been able to figure out fresh faces this year. The Brewers fell to 0-4 in games that featured pitchers making their major league debuts.

NOTES: Sanchez pitched the ninth in his new relief role and hit Fielder with his first pitch. Fielder had raised his arms triumphantly after his game-winning hit on Saturday night. … To make room for Sadowski on the 40-man roster, the Giants recalled RHP Kelvin Pichardo (right shoulder strain) and placed him on the 60-day DL. … It was Jason Kendall bobblehead day at Miller Park, but not every fan received one. The heavy flooding last weekend caused about 7,000 of them to be ruined, forcing officials to hand out a rain check. … After giving up three runs in the bottom of the ninth on Saturday, Giants closer Brian Wilson was studying video of his pitch sequences before Sunday’s game.