Padres slip past Giants on Hosmer’s solo HR

SAN FRANCISCO — San Francisco’s Hunter Strickland gave up a solo twoout home run in the ninth inning to Eric Hosmer Tuesday night as the Giants fell 3-2 to the San Diego Padres before a crowd of 36,735 at AT&T Park.

Andrew Suarez, a rookie-left-hander, made a bid to remain in the rotation with Johnny Cueto at least temporarily on the disabled list with an impressive outing.

Suarez exited after seven innings, lifted for pinch-hitter Pablo Sandoval, after throwing just 84 pitches — 56 of them strikes — with one walk and five strikeouts. He left trailing by a run, with the Giants tying the score in the bottom of the seventh on a two-out RBI double by Buster Posey against reliever Craig Stammen.

Tyson Ross, the Cal and Bishop O’Dowd High product, departed after six innings with a 2-1 lead, walking three and striking out nine before giving way to Craig Stammen. Brad Hand, the San Diego closer who gave up a three-run lead in the ninth Monday night, got the save with a clean ninth inning.

The Giants broke through against Ross in the fifth inning when Andrew McCutchen hit a smash past Christian Villanueva at third for a base hit with two outs, scoring Alen Hanson from third.

Given that McCutchen had already been retired on deep smash to right center in the first and a line out to short in the third, he was due.

Hanson opened the inning with a single, stole second and remained there after Suarez and Gregor Blanco struck out.

Suarez continued his penchant for throwing strikes, occasionally catching the plate and paying the price.

In the first innings, Suarez got two quick outs and then got a 1-0 pitch into the wheelhouse of Villanueva, who launched his team-leading ninth home run. Villanueva came in to the game hitting .481 (13-for-27) with a double and seven home runs against lefties, as opposed to .235 and one homer against right-handers.

In the fourth, Hosmer drove a pitch over the head of McCutchen to the deepest part of the park in right center for a triple. Suarez struck out Villanueva, but Jose Pirela followed with a grounder to second that Hanson was able to stop on a dive. His only play was to first base for the out, with Hosmer scoring from third and a 2-0 lead.