Giants 7, Pirates 0

PITTSBURGH – Jason Schmidt pitched a four-hitter with 11 strikeouts for his NL-leading 15th win, and the San Francisco Giants defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates 7-0.

Edgardo Alfonzo, Marquis Grissom and Michael Tucker each drove in two runs to the help the Giants avoid a season sweep by Pittsburgh. Barry Bonds had an RBI double.

Schmidt (15-4) walked one against his former team and allowed only four singles – two by Rob Mackowiak. It was Schmidt’s eighth career shutout and third this season. All three of his complete games this year have been shutouts.

The right-hander struck out at least 10 for the third straight start and ninth time this season. He joined Oakland’s Mark Mulder as the only 15-game winners in the majors.

Schmidt is 4-1 against the Pirates since they dealt him to San Francisco on July 30, 2001. This was the first time he faced the pitcher he was traded for, Ryan Vogelsong.

Vogelsong (3-9) lasted only five innings and has not won a home game since he beat the Phillies on opening day. He allowed six hits and three runs, walking four and striking out three.

San Francisco salvaged the finale of a three-game series. Pittsburgh won five of six meetings between the teams this year.

The Giants have been swept in a season series of six or more games only once in their 122-year history, going 0-7 against the Montreal Expos last season.

San Francisco jumped to a lead for the third consecutive game when Bonds doubled home J.T. Snow in the first.

Pirates manager Lloyd McClendon elected to pitch to Bonds, although first base was open with two outs. Bonds sent Vogelsong’s first pitch off the center-field wall.

Alfonzo increased the lead to 3-0 with a two-run single in the third, scoring Yorvit Torrealba and Ray Durham.

The Pirates escaped further damage when center fielder Tike Redman made a diving catch of Bonds’ liner with two on to end the inning.

Tucker tacked on a two-run single in the sixth off reliever Dave Williams. Grissom, pinch-hitting for center fielder Ricky Ledee, smacked a two-run double off the center-field wall to make it 7-0.

Notes: Schmidt has 21 career games of 10 or more strikeouts. … Bonds’ first-inning double gave him 1,812 RBIs, tying him with Frank Robinson for 14th on the career list. … The Pirates are 17-5 in their past 22 home games. … Schmidt has a 6-0 road record. … Pittsburgh’s Craig Wilson was hit by a pitch in the seventh. He leads the majors with 22.

AP-ES-08-12-04 2203EDT