Giants gain ground in wild-card race

Tim Lincecum struck out eight in eight innings to end a four-start winless stretch, Pablo Sandoval homered and the San Francisco Giants gained ground on the wild-card-leading Colorado Rockies with a 2-0 victory Friday night.

The Giants pulled within two games of the Rockies in the wild-card race and six of the NL West-leading Dodgers, who lost at Cincinnati.

Sandoval’s solo shot off Ubaldo Jimenez broke a scoreless tie in the fifth.