SAN FRANCISCO -- Jason Schmidt wasn't around to celebrate his special win. He was on his way Houston to join his fellow All-Stars -- a fitting trip for a starter who has won 11 straight decisions.
Schmidt became the first San Francisco Giants pitcher to win 11 consecutive decisions in 42 years with a 9-2 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Sunday.
"He's carried us," Giants second baseman Ray Durham said. "We've definitely jumped on his back and that's why he's going to the All-Star game. He's up among the upper echelon of No. 1 starters in the league."
Schmidt (11-2), who was named to the NL All-Star team Tuesday, has not lost since April 26 -- a span of 15 starts. Jack Sanford won 16 straight for the Giants during the 1962 season.
"In my opinion he's the best pitcher in the National League," said Giants outfielder Dustan Mohr, who drove in a run with a sacrifice fly. "He's as dominant as I've ever played with. If we get him a little bit of a lead, we've got a good chance to win."
Schmidt retired 18 of the final 20 batters he faced and beat the Diamondbacks for the fifth straight time. Schmidt allowed two runs and five hits over eight innings. He walked two and struck out 10.
"It was typical Schmitty," Giants catcher A.J. Pierzynski said. "Sometimes it takes a while to get going but once he finds his rhythm he's pretty good. He was still throwing 95, 96 miles per hour after 120 pitches."
Durham homered and had three RBI and Pedro Feliz drove in two runs as the Giants (49-40) won for the fourth time in five games.
The Giants were 15-23 after losing to the Pittsburgh Pirates on May 16. Two days later, Schmidt threw a one-hit shutout against the Chicago Cubs which sparked a 17-game turnaround heading into the break.
"I am happy about what was accomplished in the first half, considering some of the earlier nightmares," Giants manager Felipe Alou said. "We've played up and down but we've managed to win games."
Luis Tererro had two hits, and Robby Hammock and Alex Cintron drove in runs for the Diamondbacks, who have lost six of seven overall and 12 of their last 13 on the road.
"Our second half is big," Arizona manager Al Pedrique said. "We have to make a lot of decisions and evaluate a lot of players. If we can finish strong, that will say a lot."
Casey Fossum (2-8) fell to 1-6 on the road after allowing six runs and six hits in four-plus innings. He walked one and struck out two.
Arizona took the early lead in the second. With one out, Chad Tracy singled and Scott Hairston doubled. After Tim Olson walked, Tracy scored on Hammock's infield groundout.
Edgardo Alfonzo's single in the fourth tied the game at 1 apiece.
Fossum did not retire a batter in the fifth, allowing five straight to reach base before giving way to Stephen Randolph. Durham and Feliz each drove in two runs with a single and Mohr hit his sacrifice fly.
"Things were going good four innings but then there was no luck there in the fifth," Fossum said. "It doesn't seem like anything is going our way. Now we can start over and maybe turn the corner."
The Giants added a run in the sixth when Tucker tripled into right field and came around to score when Tererro bobbled the ball while trying to retrieve it, and then slipped.
Grissom hit his 14th homer of the season, a solo shot off Greg Aquino in the seventh, and Durham homered off Mike Koplove in the ninth.
Notes
Giants OF Barry Bonds was given a scheduled day off. ... Diamondbacks INF Shea Hillenbrand missed his second straight game with tightness in his right hamstring. ... Tererro's stolen base in the third was the first of his career. ... Alfonzo has hit safely in 18 of his last 24 games. ... Fossum threw a strike to Grissom in the fifth that was clocked at 56 mph. ... Hairston was ejected by home plate umpire Mike DiMuro in the sixth for arguing balls and strikes.
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