"No decision no problem for Cain if Giants win

The Giants' vaunted starting pitchers haven't been credited with a win in nine games, and Thursday's starter couldn't care less.

Matt Cain left with a four-run lead in the sixth inning of an 8-7 win over the Chicago Cubs, but said "it doesn't matter" how the Giants win, and he's happy that "all the guys are getting the job done right now."

The right-hander did his part, overcoming a rough first inning and giving the offense a chance to get in gear.

Cain threw 31 pitches in the first inning, including a 10-pitch strikeout of Kosuke Fukudome. He gave up two runs on Xavier Nady's double to left-center field, but exited the lengthy frame feeling good about his stuff.

"I knew I had thrown a lot of pitches, but I felt like I was throwing strikes," Cain said. "They were fouling off a lot of good pitches."

Cain buckled down, leaving after 121 pitches. He allowed three earned runs, eight hits and a walk, and matched his season high with nine strikeouts.

"Matty battled his butt off until we were able to score some runs," said Pat Burrell, whose fifth-inning grand slam put the Giants ahead until the Cubs scored three runs in the eighth."