MILWAUKEE -- Johnny Cueto shined in his San Francisco Giants debut, as the right-hander tossed seven strong innings Tuesday to lead San Francisco to a 2-1 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers at Miller Park.

Cueto, who signed a six-year, $130 million deal with San Francisco in December, limited the Brewers to just one run on six hits over seven innings.

Despite struggling to a 6.04 ERA in five spring training starts, Cueto picked up where he left off last season, which he finished by throwing a two-hitter for Kansas City in Game 2 of the World Series.

Cueto received help from his defense in the third inning, as Buster Posey made a nice pick and tag on a throw from shortstop Brandon Crawford to just nab Jonathan Villar at the plate on a groundball hit by Domingo Santana.

The right-hander then retired nine straight Brewers before Ryan Braun doubled with two outs in the sixth. Cueto worked around a one-out single to complete the seventh inning before being replaced by Sergio Romo.

After Romo worked a perfect eighth inning, Santiago Casilla pitched a scoreless ninth to earn his first save of the season.

Jimmy Nelson allowed two earned runs on five hits and struck out three in a losing effort on the mound for Milwaukee.

Jonathan Lucroy, who led off the second inning with a single and went to third on a single by Chris Carter, scored on a double play hit into by Ramon Flores to put the Brewers up 1-0.

Milwaukee's lead didn't last long, as Brandon Crawford led off the third inning with a solo home run to right field off Nelson.

The Giants loaded the bases with nobody out in the fourth, but plated just one run to take a 2-1 lead. Nelson limited the damage by getting Brandon Belt to pop out to second base and Crawford to fly out to left field to end the inning. The lone run scored on a fielder's choice by Matt Duffy.

NOTES: Milwaukee placed RHP Matt Garza on the 15-day disabled list with a strained right lat. Garza is expected to miss at least four to six weeks. The Brewers will go with a four-man rotation for the time being, with RHP Taylor Jungmann moving up to start Wednesday against San Francisco and RHP Chase Anderson starting Friday's series opener with Houston. ... To replace Garza on the roster, the Brewers recalled RHP Tyler Cravy from Triple-A Colorado Springs. Cravy went 0-8 with a 5.70 ERA in 14 outings for Milwaukee in 2015. ... Manager Bruce Bochy said the flu bug that swept through the Giants' clubhouse has quelled. ... With a day game on Wednesday followed by an afternoon home opener on Thursday, Bochy said he might rest C Buster Posey and SS Brandon Crawford in the series finale against the Brewers.