SAN FRANCISCO -- Nate Schierholtzs recent power surge might not be enough to turn the Chicago Cubs season around. It sure is making the year a lot easier for the slugging outfielder to handle. Getting a game-winning home run against his former club? Well, thats just icing on the cake. Cheered in every at-bat this series by the crowd at AT&T Park, Schierholtz homered off ex-teammate Sergio Romo with one out in the ninth inning to lift the Cubs to a 1-0 win over the San Francisco Giants on Saturday night. "I cant really describe it, but it felt good," Schierholtz said. "I always loved playing here. I love the fans here. I couldnt ask for a better reception." Dropped to sixth in the Cubs lineup after batting cleanup a night earlier in the clubs first game after trading Alfonso Soriano, Schierholtz worked a full count off Romo (3-6) before hitting a towering blast into the right field stands to hand Romo his second loss in as many games. Schierholtz played with San Francisco from 2007-2012 before getting traded to Philadelphia in exchange for Hunter Pence midway through last season. He signed with Chicago as a free agent in the off-season and had been bothered by shoulder problems earlier in the year before heating up over the past two weeks. The home run off Romo was Schierholtzs 14th of the season and third on the teams current 10-game road trip. Seven of his 10 hits on the road trip have been for extra bases. "Its pretty nice to watch," Cubs manager Dale Sveum said. "Its obviously huge for him to do that to his old team." Starlin Castro added two hits for Chicago, which is 18-13 in its last 31 games. Madison Bumgarner pitched eight shutout innings for San Francisco but left without a decision. The World Series champs have lost six of seven and are a season-high 11 games under .500. Since May 13, the Giants have the worst record in the majors at 23-42. "Were in a tough rut now and we know it," San Francisco manager Bruce Bochy said. "We just have to keep working and trying. We couldnt even get a cheap hit and we got what we deserve." Pedro Strop (1-0) pitched one inning for the win despite making two mental mistakes that helped the Giants load the bases with no outs in the eighth. Strop twice made late throws on sacrifice bunt attempts but got out of it when Buster Posey and Pablo Sandoval grounded into forceouts at home and Hunter Pence struck out. "That was one of our more exciting innings of the year," Sveum said. "We were going to win it or lose it there." Kevin Gregg worked the ninth for his 21st save to complete the five-hitter, getting pinch-hitter Tony Abreu to ground into a 3-2-3 double play after San Francisco loaded the bases with one out. The Cubs won their second straight in this three-game set after dropping three of four to the Giants at Wrigley Field in April. Chicago scored two unearned runs in the ninth inning to beat San Francisco 3-2 on Friday. This one went down to the wire again. Chicago only got one runner to second base until Schierholtzs homer. That was enough to hold off the slumping Giants, who were shut out for the ninth time this season. Both starters were dominant but left without a decision. Chicago rookie Chris Rusin needed just 27 pitches to get through the third inning and didnt allow a baserunner until Pences one-out walk in the fifth. One batter later Joaquin Arias grounded a single to centre to end the no-hit bid. Rusin also worked out of a two-on, two-out jam in the sixth and got help in the seventh when first baseman Anthony Rizzo made a leaping stab of Brandon Belts high liner to strand Pence at third base after he led off the inning with a ground-rule double. Bumgarner was equally effective until leaving for a pinch hitter in the eighth. The Giants most consistent starter this season and an All-Star, Bumgarner overcame a pair of errors behind him and pitched out of a two-on, two-out jam when Andres Torres made a diving catch on Schierholtzs sinking liner in the sixth. He finished with seven strikeouts and two walks. NOTES: The Giants committed two more errors and lead the majors with 76 this season. ... Giants RHP Ryan Vogelsong threw 45 pitches over 2 2-3 innings in his second rehabilitation outing after going on the disabled list with a fractured right hand. Vogelsong will accompany the big league club on a trip to the White House on Monday before joining Double-A Richmond for his next appearance. ... RHP Tim Lincecum (5-10, 4.73 ERA), who allowed eight runs on Monday in his first start since throwing a no-hitter, pitches for the Giants in the series finale. ... LHP Travis Wood (6-7, 2.95) goes for Chicago and is winless in four career starts against San Francisco. ... 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Custom Golden Knights Jerseys . -- Playing time has been limited for Maxim Tissot this season, so the Montreal Impact defender made the most of his first scoring opportunity on Saturday. Michael Hooper has implored his teammates to stop shooting themselves in the foot as they attempt to end Englands 13-Test winning streak.The Wallabies had their grand slam plans rocked by Ireland on Saturday - and largely had themselves to blame as they forced passes and bombed tries.Reflecting on an up-and-down season, which opened with five straight losses to England and New Zealand but has finished with a mostly successful Spring Tour, Hooper said that Australia was the equal of anyone when they played to their potential.Ive been really proud of how weve taken to different teams this year, Hooper said.Weve had those ups and downs, and consistency has been lacking, but whats been the wrap up of the year is that when we do our stuff really well we can beat any team in the world.Its just about doing it more often and sticking to that sort of stuff.While coach Michael Cheika fumed at a 13-3 penalty count, the Wallabies were also their own worst enemies against Ireland.Two tries on the left-hand side of the field were bombed - firstly when David Pococks tip-onn pass to Henry Speight floated forward, and later when the outstanding Israel Folau ignored a two-man overlap to step inside and take a tackle.ddddddddddddTheyre the sort of errors which will need to be eradicated for Australia to trouble England at Twickenham on Saturday.Certainly, the Wallabies have Cheikas blessing to playing attacking footy - but he says the young players especially need to be more selective when it comes to pushing the final pass.Weve got some clear technical ideas about when offloads are on and when theyre not, Cheika said.Some of those that went to ground applied to our technical rules and some didnt. Weve got to get rid of that (inconsistency).Its just about young guys trying to work out when its on and when its not on in the heat of the moment.If youve been under the pump for 15-20 minutes, you get an opportunity... lets score? No, lets keep it for another few phases and well get over eventually anyway. ' ' '