Colorado @ San Francisco preview
Oracle Park
Last Meeting ( Aug 31, 2010 ) Colorado 2, San Francisco 5
Tim Lincecum is saddled with a career-worst five-game losing streak and is coming off the worst month of his stellar major league career. And the first day of September starts with a tough assignment: outduel Ubaldo Jimenez.
The two star hurlers match up for the second time this season on Wednesday night when the San Francisco Giants host the Colorado Rockies meet in the finale of a three-game series.
Jimenez blanked the Giants on four hits back on May 31 in a 4-0 victory. Lincecum went 5 2/3 innings and gave up all four Colorado runs.
At that point, there was no way of knowing that Lincecum’s season would later disintegrate, but the two-time Cy Young Award winner is now mired in the worst stretch of his career.
Lincecum went 0-5 with a 7.82 earned-run average in August. He was hit hard all month, allowing five homers as opponents batted .311 off him.
Lincecum has tinkered with mechanics and his routine while trying to get back into form but nothing has worked.
He enters today’s game with an 11-9 record and uncharacteristic 3.80 ERA. Lincecum is 5-5 with a 3.79 ERA in 13 career starts against Colorado. He has lost twice to the Rockies this season.
Jimenez is tied for the National League lead in victories despite going just 2-4 in eight starts since the All-Star break.
Jimenez has a 4.01 ERA since the break and is 0-3 over his last four starts. Overall, he is 17-5 with a 2.71 ERA.
He appeared to be cruising toward Cy Young Award honors until the recent drought. But it should be noted that Jimenez hasn’t allowed more than three runs in any of the four-start winless streak.
Jimenez is 2-0 with a 3.27 ERA in three starts against the Giants this season. For his career, he’s 5-4 with a 3.21 ERA in 13 outings against them.
San Francisco third baseman Pedro Sandoval is a .357 (10-for-28) career hitter against Jimenez.
Colorado is hoping Troy Tulowitzki will return after sitting out the past two games with a groin injury. Tulowitzki has a 10-game hitting streak going.
Rockies first baseman Todd Helton is 10-for-22 (.455) lifetime against Lincecum, but star outfielder Carlos Gonzalez is batting just .143 (2-for-14) with eight strikeouts against the San Francisco ace.
Gonzalez was sensational in August, ending the month with eight homers and 23 RBIs while batting .344. He extended his hitting streak to eight games Tuesday and is batting .483 (14-of-29) during that span.
Meanwhile, Colorado acquired reliever Manny Delcarmen from Boston on Tuesday to add a bullpen arm. San Francisco expects to activate shortstop Edgar Renteria (biceps) today.