Cincinnati @ San Francisco preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 28, 2012 ) Cincinnati 0, San Francisco 5

After recording four consecutive shutouts for the first time in franchise history, the Giants turn to Matt Cain to extend the streak. San Francisco beat the Reds 5-0 on Monday in the opener of the four-game series, becoming the first team to throw four straight shutouts since the Baltimore Orioles finished the 1995 season with five straight. The Giants have pitched 36 scoreless innings and won six of their last seven games to move one game ahead of Los Angeles in the NL West.

Cincinnati leads the Pirates by one game in the NL Central after being held to one hit in the opener of its 11-day, 11-game road trip. Catcher Ryan Hanigan had the only hit for the Reds, who were shut out for just the second time this season and fell to 18-18 on the road. Hanigan has started 45 of the Reds’ 75 games at catcher, batting .285 with seven RBIs. Rookie Devin Mesoraco was expected to get more playing time but he has struggled at the plate with a .184 average in 101 at-bats after hitting .289 with 15 homers in Triple-A last year.

TV: 10:15 p.m. ET, FSO (Cincinnati), CSN Bay Area (San Francisco)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Reds RH Mike Leake (2-5, 4.46 ERA) vs. Giants RH Matt Cain (9-2, 2.27)

After struggling in his first nine starts, Leake has a 2.97 ERA and a .240 opponent batting average in five June outings. He gave up two runs over eight innings against Minnesota last Sunday in his fourth consecutive no-decision. It was the third time in 14 outings this season he has not walked a batter. He's 2-0 with a 5.68 ERA in four career appearances (three starts) against the Giants.

Cain hasn’t lost in his last 10 starts, and he has a 2.23 ERA with a 77-to-16 strikeout-to-walk ratio during that span. He gave up one run over seven innings against the Athletics in his last start. Cain, who is 4-4 with a 3.19 ERA in nine career starts against the Reds, gave up three runs in 6 1/3 innings against Cincinnati on April 24.

WALK-OFFS

1. Reds 2B Brandon Phillips (head) was scratched from Thursday’s lineup and is listed as day-to-day.

2. After making 50 errors in their first 48 games, the Giants have committed just nine in their last 26 contests.

3. The Giants’ streak of 36 consecutive scoreless innings pitched broke the previous franchise record of 35 set in 1960.