Uribe hits gland slam, 2-run HR in 9-run 2nd inning, Giants romp past Cubs 13-0

Uribe hits slam, 2-run HR in 2nd, Giants romp

CHICAGO — A pregame hitters’ meeting seemed to help shake the San Francisco Giants out of their recent slumber.

A stiff wind blowing out of Wrigley Field didn’t hurt, either.

Juan Uribe hit a grand slam and a two-run homer, both shots coming during a nine-run second inning that sent the Giants past the Chicago Cubs 13-0 Thursday night and into first place in the NL West.

“He is a guy who can do a lot of damage,” Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. “He’s knocked in a lot of runs for us this year. It’s nice having a shortstop who can do that. We needed a big game from somebody and we got it from him tonight.”

San Francisco moved a half-game ahead of the San Diego Padres, who lost 3-1 at Los Angeles. The Giants have the same record as idle Atlanta, which leads the wild-card race.

“We’re better than this and it’s going to take everybody to focus out there,” Bochy said he told his players. “Trust the guy behind you. We’ve had a few guys trying to do too much out there. Just try to get a quality at-bat and keep things moving.”

The Giants responded with 19 hits and four home runs.

San Francisco pitchers, meanwhile, kept doing a solid job. They have gone 17 straight games giving up three or fewer runs, the longest streak since the Chicago White Sox set the record with 20 in a row in 1917, the Elias Sports Bureau said.

Madison Bumgarner (6-6) scattered seven hits over seven innings and struck out a career-high nine.

“I feel like I was keeping the ball down a lot better today than I was the last few games,” he said. “I’m trying to keep the same approach each time I go out there. I feel good about going out there and giving us a chance to win.”

Uribe had only two hits in his previous 21 at-bats before his quick six RBIs as the Giants teed off on Ryan Dempster (14-11) and reliever Thomas Diamond.

“He (Dempster) didn’t look comfortable to me from the get-go,” Cubs manager Mike Quade said. “He’ll be fine next outing.

“You certainly have to put this one behind you. This is a turn-the-page game for me,” he said.

The Giants loaded the bases with none out in the first, but scored just once as Buster Posey hit into a double play that drove in a run. But San Francisco broke loose the next inning, highlighted by Uribe’s 21st and 22nd home runs.

Uribe’s two-run shot off Dempster cleared the left-field wall and landed on Waveland Avenue for a 3-0 lead. He later hit his fifth career slam, a drive off Diamond into the left-field seats.

In between Uribe’s homers, the Giants opened a 6-0 lead on RBI singles from Freddy Sanchez and Posey.

Posey hit a solo homer in the third, his 16th of the season. Cody Ross made it 12-0 when he homered off Marcos Mateo in the sixth.

Pablo Sandoval’s RBI single in eighth completed the rout.

Notes: Sanchez had four hits and Ross had three. … The 1972 Indians and 1981 Athletics also went 16 straight games of giving up three or fewer runs. … San Francisco travels to Colorado for a three-game series beginning Friday. … Cubs leadoff man Jeff Baker was a late scratch because stomach flu.