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SAN DIEGO -- Hunter Renfroe had a busy first big league start for the San Diego Padres.He got his first two hits. He learned that it is indeed a game of inches when he couldnt quite catch Joe Paniks fly ball that went for a double during a San Francisco rally in the eighth. He even got to show off his strong arm.The Padres lost 2-1 as Angel Pagans single broke a scoreless tie in the eighth and Jeff Samardzija struck out nine in seven innings for the Giants, who kept pace with the New York Mets for the NL wild-card lead.The Giants faced a Padres lineup that included five rookies, three making their first big league starts. The Giants snapped a six-game losing streak to the Padres, who have been their nemesis during their second-half skid. The Padres swept the Giants at San Francisco last week and in San Diego in the first series after the All-Star break. The Giants had swept the Padres three times in the first two months of the season.Panik, who had been in an 0-for-24 slump, doubled to right-center opening the eighth against Christian Friedrich (5-11). His fly ball ticked off the end of Renfroes glove, hit the ground and bounced over the fence. Kelby Tomlinson, pinch-hitting for Samardzija, singled to left to put runners on the corners and chase Friedrich. Brad Hand came on and induced Eduardo Nunez to hit into a force, with Panik holding at third. Pagan then hit a blooper that landed just fair and brought in Panik.Renfroe fielded Paniks hit and made a strong throw, but first baseman Wil Myers cut it off.Since there was no other play there, Wil probably wants to let that ball go, manager Andy Green said. I think hed say that right now. I dont think were accustomed to Hunter Renfroes arm yet. That is a very unique play to see a ball drop on the line like that and see a guy coming up firing like that. I dont know how far up the line it was going to be to Hedgy (catcher Austin Hedges), but I thought it was going to be close enough to be an interesting play at the plate. ... Theres some arm strength there.Hunter Pence doubled with two outs to bring in Nunez.I felt good. I felt like I did as well as I could have, honestly, said Renfroe, San Diegos first-round pick in the 2013 amateur draft. I could have done a little better defensively, touching the ball; just missed that reach there. Positioning could have been better, I think. I could have caught it. Other than that, Im happy with myself. `Hunter Pence doubled with two outs to bring in Nunez.The Mets and Giants took a half-game lead over the idle St. Louis Cardinals in the wild-card race. New York beat Philadelphia 9-8 in 11 innings.San Francisco came in trailing the Los Angeles Dodgers by six games in the NL West, with 10 to play.Padres pinch-hitter Alex Dickerson homered off Derek Law with one out in the eighth.Samardzija (12-10) allowed four hits in seven scoreless innings, and walked none.Sergio Romo pitched the ninth for his second save in as many chances. Ryan Schimpf doubled with one out before Renfroe popped up to first base and fellow rookie Carlos Asuaje grounded to short to end it.Padres outfielders Renfroe and Manuel Margot, and second baseman Asuaje were making their first big league starts.Renfroe, Margot, Asuaje and catcher Hedges were called up Wednesday from Triple-A El Paso, which won the Pacific Coast League title before losing to International League champion Scranton-Wilkes-Barre in the Triple-A showdown on Tuesday night in Memphis. Renfroe and Asuaje made their big league debuts as pinch-hitters on Wednesday night while Margot made his as a pinch-runner. Hedges made his big league debut last year.Padres reliever Jose Torres made his big league debut when he started the ninth.TRAINERS ROOMGiants: Manager Bruce Bochy said RHP Johnny Cueto, who was forced out of his start Tuesday night with a strained groin, is improving and will try to throw on Friday. ... Bochy said SS Brandon Crawfords dislocated pinky on his glove hand was doing a lot better. Yesterday he had a tough day. It was really sore. Hes throwing to keep in shape.Padres: Manager Andy Green said RHP Colin Rea has begun throwing. Hes been shut down with an elbow injury.UP NEXTGiants: Rookie RHP Albert Suarez (3-4, 4.16) is scheduled to start Friday night.Padres: RHP Edwin Jackson (4-6, 6.00) gets the start Friday night.Authentic NFL Jerseys . Shot outdoors against the stunning backdrop of Banff, Alta., the networks 30-minute original production airs tonight at 8pm et/5pm pt on TSN2. The four All-Star teams will play for $100,000 in prize money during TSNs annual skins game, airing live this weekend on TSN from The Fenlands Banff Recreation Centre. Cheap NFL Jerseys . That gave fans outside Joe Louis Arena another chance to ask for autographs from the 19-year-old whose stardom in the NHL has arrived earlier than most expected. https://www.cheapnfljerseysjustwholesale.com/cheap-mlb-jerseys . There are surprises among the Vezina candidates, but most of the others are standard top-tier performers, even if the two Hart Trophy runners-ups have never been quite as good as they have been through the first half of the season. Wholesale NFL Jerseys . Bjorn, who had a 36-hole total of 8-under 134, made a testing six-foot putt to save par on the 16th and a birdie on the 17th before bogeying the final hole after a misjudged approach shot. American Kevin Streelman was in second place after shooting a 69. Cheap NHL Jerseys . After dropping their final six games of December, the Wild opened the new calendar year with four consecutive wins. Following a loss to Colorado on Saturday, Minnesota rebounded the following night to blank Nashville 4-0, but then had the tables turned on them Tuesday.AUSTIN, Texas -- In meetings, in practice and when he was just thinking to himself, Charlie Strong pleaded with his team not to be a one-game wonder after a big season-opening win.That turned out to not be a problem at all.Freshman quarterback Shane Buechele passed for 244 yards and four touchdowns and No. 11 Texas backed up its first national ranking since 2013 with a 41-7 victory over UTEP on Saturday night.I was nervous, said Strong, who entered the season under tremendous pressure after two losing seasons. Everyone was telling them how good they are and I wondered how would they respond? I kept telling them, `Just focus. We havent done anything yet.Sophomore linebacker Malik Jefferson said the message came through. But Jefferson suggested the players didnt really need the reminder because they knew how to handle the week after beating Notre Dame.We were 5-7 last year, Jefferson said. We cant be satisfied with anything.Buechele wasnt there for the previous two years of losing, but there was no letup from the freshman as he put together another splendid game with his arm and feet. He was 22 of 27 passing and his 34 yards rushing in the zone read option showed the Longhorns (2-0) have even another wrinkle in their new offense.Buechele threw touchdown passes of 29 and 7 yards to Jerrod Heard, who started at quarterback most of 2015 but moved to wide receiver this season. He also connected with Dorian Leonard for a 46-yard score in the third quarter that made it 34-7.I felt good out there, Buechele said. We started slow but I feel like we finished strong ... I like throwing the ball to all these guys.Aaron Jones ran for 123 yards and a 51-yard touchdown for UTEP (1-1).THE TAKEAWAYUTEP: The Miners missed the passing of injured starting quarterback Zack Greenlee, who was held out to rest a strained knee before the start of the Conference USA schedule. Kavika Johnson was 9 of 15 for 42 yards, and Jones gave the Miners their only punch on offense. The Longhorns knew Jones was the primary option on nearly every UTEP possession uuntil the score got out of hand.ddddddddddddWere not making excuses for anything. They whipped us handily, Kugler said.Texas: Buechele continues to impress. His second start came behind an offensive line that was missing two starters with injuries. Buechele was sacked three times and withstood several more hits, but his first two touchdown passes were precision throws into coverage on the sideline in the end zone. His third was a deep throw that hit Leonard in stride.POLL IMPLICATIONSThe Longhorns should stand pat. They easily handled a team they were supposed to and Buechele proved hes no fluke. No one in front of Texas lost so theres no real room to move up unless AP voters punish No. 9 Georgia for its close win over Nicholls. Staying where they are they are would still be another big step for a program that has been on the skids the last two years.HEARDS BIRTHDAY BREAKOUTHeards first two career touchdown passes came on his 21st birthday. Hed been letting everyone know his big day was coming up by announcing it for days on Twitter. He finished with six catches for 46 yards.It says hes a ball player, said Texas running back Chris Warren III. Hes an athlete who can play.Strong praised Heards quick adjustment to catching passes instead of throwing them. Last season, it was Heard who everyone thought was the quarterback of the future when he broke Vince Youngs single-game school record for total offense.Hes always vibrant, always has a smile on his face. That first touchdown was a good catch, Strong said.UP NEXTUTEP: The Miners host Army next Saturday in their last game before starting Conference USA play.Texas: The Longhorns get their first road test next Saturday at California, which beat Texas 45-44 last season when the Longhorns missed an extra point in the final seconds.LAST WORDHes very talented, Kugler said about Buechele. Probably Texas fans are really excited of having him for four years. ' ' '