San Francisco @ Cincinnati preview

Last Meeting ( May 15, 2015 ) San Francisco 10, Cincinnati 2

The Cincinnati Reds promised their fans fireworks on Friday night, but all they could deliver was some smoke and a small fire followed by a flameout. The Reds will try to bounce back from a 10-2 drubbing when they host the San Francisco Giants on Saturday in the third of a four-game set.

Brandon Belt provided most of the fireworks as San Francisco squared the series at a game apiece, swatting his first homer of the season as part of a three-hit, four-RBI night. It marked only the fourth victory in the last 16 games for the Giants at Great American Ball Park and came on a night when one of the stadium smokestacks beyond the wall in center field caught fire. Outfielder Hunter Pence, sidelined since March 5 with a broken left forearm, could make his first appearance of the season for San Francisco in Saturday's game. Cincinnati needs a solid outing from right-hander Mike Leake on Saturday after its bullpen was taxed for six innings Friday.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, CSN Bay Area (San Francisco), FSN Ohio (Cincinnati)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Giants RH Ryan Vogelsong (1-2, 5.67 ERA) vs. Reds RH Mike Leake (2-1, 2.36)

Vogelsong turned in his second straight superb performance, limiting Miami to one run and four hits in seven innings without a decision Sunday. That followed a magnificent outing versus San Diego, when he earned his first victory of the season with seven scoreless innings of three-hit ball. Vogelsong is unbeaten in seven appearances (three starts) at Cincinnati, logging a 2-0 record and 4.18 ERA.

Leake finally had his scoreless streak snapped when he permitted one run on eight hits over six innings in a no-decision versus Atlanta. It was the shortest outing since the season debut for Leake, who worked eight scoreless innings in each of his previous two turns in victories at Pittsburgh and Atlanta. Leake is 5-1 with a 3.83 ERA against the Giants but has struggled against Buster Posey, who is 5-for-13 with a homer.

WALK-OFFS

1. Giants OF Gregor Blanco is 7-for-13 with four doubles and four runs scored in the past four games.

2. Reds 3B Todd Frazier is 5-for-12 with two homers during a four-game hitting streak.

3. Pence hit 20 homers and drove in 74 runs a year ago to help the Giants win the World Series.

PREDICTION: Reds 3, Giants 2