Jackson Slides Giants to Victory

Mike Jackson, the San Francisco Giants’ temporary closer, knows he’s no Rod Beck. But on Wednesday, his slider was hard enough to save the game.

Jackson got the final four outs in the Giants’ 5-4 victory over the Phildelphia Phillies after coming on in the eighth with the bases loaded to preserve the Giants’ one-run lead. He got Mariano Duncan to swing on three straight sliders to end the threat, gave up a hit in the ninth and ended up with his third save.

“I’m just trying to pick up the slack until we get a healthy Rod Beck,” said Jackson, the setup man who has been the closer since Beck, who saved 46 games last year, went on the disabled list April 6.

“Once we get him back in there, I’m sure all that pressure won’t lean toward me as much.”

Jackson, who hasn’t allowed in a run in his 10 1-3 innings this season, inherited the eighth-inning jam after Rich Monteleone gave up three consecutive hits, the last a run-scoring single by Kevin Stocker to make it 5-4.

Duncan, who went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts, said Jackson was too tough.

“I had a bad day at the plate,” he said. “I think I’ve got one hit in 18 at-bats.”

The Giants, who have been struggling at the plate, got only seven hits, but took a 5-2 lead on Barry Bonds’ two-out, two-run single in the fifth.

Pitcher Bill Swift walked, went to second on Darren Lewis’ single and scored on Willie McGee’s infield single, which was mishandled by third baseman Dave Hollins.

Hollins then bobbled Matt Williams’ grounder for an error -- his sixth this season -- to load the bases for Bonds, whose line drive to right made it 5-2.

“Barry came up with a big hit,” Swift (3-1) said. “We haven’t had too many two-out hits in a while.”

Although the Giants committed two errors, Philadelphia’s defensive problems stood out more.

“We haven’t played well defensively,” manager Jim Fregosi said. “It’s a concern. We’ve played 15 games and made 18 errors.”

The Phillies got a run back in the sixth when John Kruk singled, Hollins walked and Darren Daulton’s fielder’s choice moved Kruk to third. Wes Chamberlain, who went 3-for-5 in his first start this season, followed with an RBI single.

Milt Thompson then hit a sharp grounder that caromed off third baseman Williams’ glove into left, but Bonds picked it up and made a perfect throw home to cut down Daulton trying to score from second.

Philadelphia closed to 5-4 in the eighth on Stocker’s RBI single off Rich Monteleone.

Swift, who brought a 0.42 ERA in the game, had an uncharacteristically bumpy outing, giving up a leadoff homer to Lenny Dykstra, walking four and hitting a batter. He gave up three runs and five hits in 6 2/3 innings.

Phillies starter Jeff Juden (1-2) went six innings, giving up five runs, three earned, on six hits.