San Francisco @ Chicago preview
Wrigley Field
Last Meeting ( Aug 31, 2012 ) San Francisco 4, Chi. Cubs 6
The Chicago Cubs are taking a glimpse into their future for the remainder of the season with a lineup loaded with young players they hope will get them back to the playoffs in the coming years. For now, they'll have to settle for trying to keep others out of the postseason as they look to send the National League West-leading San Francisco Giants to a second straight loss.
Young (Anthony Rizzo) and old (Alfonso Soriano) combined to power the Cubs to a 6-4 win in the opener, handing San Francisco just its fourth loss in 14 games. The Giants remain 4 1/2 games clear of the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West. They'll try to pad that lead by bouncing back against the Cubs, who have won two straight after dropping 22 of their previous 28. The Giants are 17-6 in their last 23 road games.
TV: 1:05 p.m. ET, CSN Bay Area, WGN
PITCHING MATCHUP: Giants RH Tim Lincecum (7-14, 5.30 ERA) vs. Cubs RH Justin Germano (2-4, 5.91)
Lincecum hasn't been himself all season and that continued in his last outing, as he labored through five innings and allowed three runs in a loss to the Braves. He has lost three of his last four starts and hasn't made it through six innings in his past three outings. Lincecum is 3-4 with a 3.49 ERA in nine starts against the Cubs.
Germano lost to the Brewers in back-to-back starts as he was unable to build on the momentum of a strong start against Houston earlier this month. He has allowed 12 runs in 9 2/3 innings over his last two outings. Germano has made four appearances (three starts) against the Giants and is 0-0 with a 1.83 ERA, but he hasn't faced them since 2008.
WALK-OFFS
1. Giants INF Joaquin Arias has matched his career high with a nine-game hitting streak and is hitting .467 (14-for-30) during that stretch.
2. Cubs SS Starlin Castro, who is riding a seven-game hitting streak, is 4-for-10 with two doubles and three RBIs against Lincecum.
3. Lincecum has allowed 25 first-inning runs in 27 starts this season.