Matt Cain Joins Elite Giants Company with Career Milestone Monday

San Francisco Giants hurler Matt Cain allowed just one run on five hits and three walks over 6.2 innings in Monday's 8-4 victory over the rival Los Angeles Dodgers.

In addition to moving to 3-1 on the season in the contest, Cain also crossed the 2,000 innings pitched milestone with the Giants in his career. He joins Hall of Famers Juan Marichal and Gaylord Perry as one of only three pitchers to have ever topped the total with San Francisco, per the Elias Sports Bureau (via ESPN.com).

While Cain's career path seems unlikely to intersect with Cooperstown, he did earn three All-Star nominations between 2009 and 2012 and has competed on two different World Series-winning Giants teams.

The 32-year-old entered the majors in 2005 as a 20-year-old and posted sub-4.00 ERA campaigns in seven of his first eight seasons. However, that success has fallen off dramatically since then. Cain hasn't posted a season with an ERA below 4.00 since 2012 and hasn't worked more than 100 innings since 2013.

Outside of a nine-run blowup against the Cincinnati Reds on May 5, Cain has turned in solid efforts on a consistent basis so far this season. In fact, he has allowed two or fewer earned runs in six of his eight starts this year. Considering the Giants will be without ace Madison Bumgarner due to injuries suffered in a dirt bike accident, Cain's return to his past form could assist in keeping the club afloat.

He will attempt to keep things rolling when he makes his next scheduled start Sunday on the road against the St. Louis Cardinals.