ucroy and right-handed reliever Jeremy Jeffress -- Monday when they open a three-game series against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Park.Luc

SAN FRANCISCO -- Chad Gaudin might just be pitching himself right into a permanent spot in the San Francisco starting rotation. He certainly pitched the defending World Series champion Giants to an important victory to begin the seasons second half against the division-leading Arizona Diamondbacks, striking out eight in seven scoreless innings to build on his impressive monthlong stretch in a 2-0 win Friday night. "Its huge," Gaudin said. "Any win in our division is huge." All-Star Buster Posey hit an RBI double, Hunter Pence added a run-scoring single as San Francisco started a key series to open the second half by pulling within 5 1/2 games of the D-backs in the NL West race. Arizona starter Ian Kennedy (3-7) was denied career win No. 50 yet again in his eighth try. In his past four starts, Gaudin (4-1) has a 0.77 ERA, two earned runs in 23 1-3 innings. He has an 11-inning scoreless streak. "What a great job he did tonight, which we needed," manager Bruce Bochy said. Gaudin is unbeaten in seven starts since joining the rotation in early June to replace the injured Ryan Vogelsong -- and he is making for a tough decision by the Giants brass when Vogelsong is ready to return next month. "Obviously Id like to start and enjoy starting," said Gaudin, so valuable for his versatility. Not bad for a guy who signed a minor league deal with the Giants and had no guarantee of making the team out of spring training. "I signed over here to do what Im doing now," Gaudin said. "Its great. Ive put a lot of time and effort and work into having a good craft and pretty much dedicated myself to getting better and staying consistent. Its kind of surprising, but at the same time I kind of expect it out of myself." Gaudins only loss came in relief during an extra-inning loss April 24 against Arizona at home. Gaudin also got a defensive gem from Giants rookie Kensuke Tanaka. The converted infielder made a sliding catch near the foul line in left field, reaching back over his head after overrunning the play to rob Paul Goldschmidt leading off the fourth. Gaudin tipped his cap to the outfielder. The Giants are determined to put some steady play together -- and Gaudins stellar outing was a start. The club began a key stretch with 10 games at home in AT&T Park, including Tuesdays doubleheader with the Reds in which Cincinnati is the home team in the opener to make up a July 4 rainout in Ohio. Gaudin allowed three hits and didnt walk a batter for the second time in his seven starts. "Everything he does for us, its a big lift," closer Sergio Romo said. Romo, the Giants fifth reliever, finished the five-hitter for his 22nd save and San Franciscos 10th shutout. Arizona was blanked for just the second time after losing 3-0 to Atlanta on June 28. "We had no offence going on at all tonight. They just shut us down," D-backs manager Kirk Gibson said. Santiago Casilla escaped a bases-loaded jam in the eighth. Romo has a 29-game scoreless streak against the D-backs spanning 21 2-3 innings and dating to Sept. 6, 2010. Kennedy lost his third straight during an eight-start winless streak in which he went 0-3 since beating the Cubs on June 1 in Chicago. "You just try to be positive. Like, Just get that out of the way," Kennedy said. "Just keep going out there, grind away, find adjustments to do. Thats what I really tried to do." He even shaved his beard during the All-Star break to try to get on track. The right-hander said he had a professional barber give him the trim Monday, his first in 26 months since his daughter, Nora, was born in late April 2011. "I needed a change," he said. But Arizona lost its sixth straight second-half opener. Notes: D-backs RHP Brandon McCarthy is scheduled to pitch a rehab start Sunday for Triple-A Reno and likely one more after that before being re-evaluated. He collapsed at a Phoenix restaurant last month with a seizure related to the head injury he sustained while pitching last September. ... Giants RHP Ryan Vogelsong, who had surgery May 21 a day after breaking two bones in the pinkie area of his pitching hand, will face live hitters for the first time Saturday and could begin a rehab assignment early next week probably beginning with Class A San Jose before going to Double-A Richmond during the teams next road trip out East. ... San Francisco INF Joaquin Arias isnt likely to come off the DL on Tuesday when eligible as he returns from an emergency appendectomy. ... Giants CF Angel Pagan has begun baseball activities and agility work in Arizona as he tries to work back before seasons end from left hamstring surgery. ... Giants Hall of Fame broadcaster Lon Simmons celebrated his 90th birthday and threw out the ceremonial first pitch to a standing ovation from the sellout crowd of 41,924. "It always has surprised me," Simmons said of the support. ... All-Star fathers: Giants Jeff Francoeur and Sandy Rosario each welcomed baby girls during the break, Emma Francoeur on Monday in Atlanta and Saadet Rosario on Thursday in New Jersey. Vita Vea Buccaneers Jersey . The 29-year-old Baines has established himself as one of the top attacking full backs in the country and was the subject of two bids from United during the last off-season. Everton manager Roberto Martinez says that keeping Baines at the club is a "massive boost and exciting for the future" because he brings "maturity and football knowledge in a very specialized position on the pitch" and an "infectious and positive influence to the rest of the squad. Jamel Dean Buccaneers Jersey . 10 Texas A&Ms offence dominated as usual against SMU. http://www.authenticbuccaneerspro.com/Lee-roy-selmon-buccaneers-jersey/ . The 17-year-old native of Marystown, N.L., pulled out of Skate Canada International last month in Saint John, N.B., with the same problem. Lavonte David Jersey . In Europe, top teams seem to be largely happy with their squads after spending nearly $1 billion in the off-season. And although English league clubs are unlikely to splash cash in January, Arsenal and Chelsea could be tempted to strengthen their squads with new strikers. Warren Sapp Womens Jersey . -- Gus Malzahn finally had his day in Fayetteville. MILWAUKEE -- As he left the home clubhouse at Miller Park for possibly the last time, Milwaukee Brewers left fielder Ryan Braun took a moment to reflect on what his team accomplished this season; the first in a massive rebuilding effort for the franchise.To this point, weve played at least as well if not better than anybody expected, Braun said. We have more wins (70) than we did a year ago (69) and thats after trading away our set-up guy, our closer, our All-Star catcher and our third baseman.Braun and the Brewers will be reunited with two of those players -- catcher Jonathan Lucroy and right-handed reliever Jeremy Jeffress -- Monday when they open a three-game series against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Park.Lucroy has been a key cog for the Rangers, who locked down the AL West championship last week. Bouncing back from an abysmal 2015 campaign, at least by his standards, Lucroy was batting .299 with 13 home runs and 50 RBI when he and Jeffress were shipped to Texas just before the non-waiver trade deadline.With the Rangers, Lucroy has kept on hitting, posting a .278 average with 10 homers and 28 RBI. Hes also thrown out 42 of 109 runners attempting to steal this season, the third-best mark in baseball.But Braun was hardly impressed by that statistic.Lots of easy stolen bases this week with Luc, joked Braun, who needs four more stolen bases to hit 20 for the fifth time in his career.Jokes aside, Braun was happy to watch friends clinch their divisional crown.Its great to see them ultimately in a position they want to be in, Braun said. Its a lot of fun to watch them clinch from afar; Im just glad it happened before we got there.Jeffress, meanwhile, has had a rockier transition. He had a 2.22 ERA and 27 saves at the time of the trade but struggled in nine outings with Texas then, in late August, was arrested for a DUI and placed on the restricted list.Texas reinstated Jefffress over the weekend, but its still unclear how or if the Rangers will use him down the stretch or during the postseason.ddddddddddddI just want to move forward from this, Jeffress said. Im still a sick man, Im still working on my treatment. Coming from the program I was just in made me a better person, a wiser person.The Brewers will also be reacquainted with outfielder Carlos Gomez, who signed with Texas in late August after he was designated for assignment by the Astros.Milwaukee shipped Gomez to Houston last year in a deadline deal but the lively outfielder struggled en route to the postseason, batting just .242 in 41 games. Things got even worse this season; Gomez was hitting .210 with just five home runs and 29 RBI when he was released Aug. 19.Since joining the Rangers, Gomez appears to be back on track. Hes hit six homers, driven in 16 runs and has four stolen bases in 27 games.I think hes added energy at the top of the lineup for us. He added some on-base and power. The strikeouts (are) still there, manager Jeff Banister said last week. However, he has calmed the approach down, which is more conducive to leading off an inning. I like the look of what he has provided us from that leadoff spot.At 92-64, the Rangers begin the day tied with Boston for the best record in the American League. Theyll send left-hander Martin Perez to the mound hoping he can extend his streak of four consecutive quality starts.Perez took a no-decision his last time out, scattering four hits without a walk over seven innings against the Angels.Milwaukee will counter with right-hander Matt Garza, who spent the second half of the 2013 season with Texas before signing a four-year, $50 million contract with Milwaukee.He is 0-2 with a 4.20 ERA in his last three starts. ' ' '