Jake Cronenworth broke a seventh-inning tie with an RBI single, Freddy Fermin followed with a two-run homer and the San Diego Padres rewarded Yu Darvish’s sharp effort with a 4-1 road victory over the San Francisco Giants on Monday.

Jackson Merrill chipped in with an RBI double and two singles for the Padres, who opened a 11-day stretch of seven games against the Giants with a win that created eight games of separation between the second- and third-place teams in the National League West.

After Giants ace Logan Webb had matched Darvish through six innings in a 1-1 game, Gavin Sheets opened the seventh with a double, and Cronenworth followed with a run-scoring single to right.

Fermin then belted Webb’s next pitch over the fence down the left field line for his fourth homer, extending San Diego’s lead to 4-1. The long ball was the backup catcher’s first in eight games since the Padres acquired him from the Kansas City Royals last month.

Webb (10-9) was pulled one batter later, charged with four runs on eight hits in 6 1/3 innings. He walked one and struck out three.

Making just his seventh start of the season, Darvish (2-3) limited the Giants to four hits and one run in six innings. He struck out six without issuing a walk.

San Francisco’s only run came on Rafael Devers’ 23rd home run of the season in the sixth, pulling the hosts into a 1-1 tie.

Jeremiah Estrada, Mason Miller and Robert Suarez threw a scoreless inning apiece for the Padres, with Suarez nailing down his 33rd save while delivering the Giants am 11th loss in their past 12 home games.

The Padres scored first in the top of the sixth on doubles by Fernando Tatis Jr. and Merrill.

Tatis finished with two doubles and Sheets had a double and a single for the Padres, who moved within one game of the first-place Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West.

Dominic Smith had one of the Giants’ five hits, extending his hitting streak to a career-high 14 games.

–Field Level Media