Milwaukee @ San Francisco preview
Oracle Park
Last Meeting ( May 29, 2011 ) San Francisco 0, Milwaukee 6
THE STORY: When the Milwaukee Brewers continue their season-long 11-game road trip Friday against the San Francisco Giants, they’ll be facing some of the best pitching in the National League. With the Giants skipping Barry Zito’s turn in the rotation, they’ll send Matt Cain, Ryan Vogelsong and Madison Bumgarner against the Brewers. Milwaukee dropped into a virtual first-place tie with idle Pittsburgh in the NL Central after losing to Arizona on Thursday.
TV: 10:15 p.m. ET, FS Wisconsin, CSNBA
PITCHING MATCHUP: Brewers RH Shaun Marcum (8-3, 3.39 ERA) vs. Giants RH Matt Cain (8-5, 2.99 ERA)
Marcum gave up two runs on four hits over five innings Sunday at Colorado. He left with a strained neck, but there was never doubt he would make his next start. Marcum is 0-1 with a 4.91 ERA in two career starts against the Giants. Cain gave up one run on three hits and two walks while striking out nine over six innings Sunday in San Diego. He is 2-4 with a 4.73 ERA in six career starts against the Brewers. The Giants are 5-1 in Cain’s last six home starts against teams with a winning record.
ABOUT THE GIANTS (57-42): Third baseman Pablo Sandoval didn't start Wednesday because of a sore right quad, but he should fine for Friday’s game. After losing 35 pounds during the off-season, Sandoval has a .313 average with nine home runs in 217 at-bats. Jeff Keppinger pinch-hit Wednesday in his first game since being traded from last-place Houston. Keppinger figures to see plenty of playing time at second base with Freddy Sanchez unlikely to return this season due to a dislocated right shoulder. The Giants sent catcher Hector Sanchez to Triple-A Fresno. Sanchez hit .301 in 42 games at Single-A San Jose and .305 in 23 games at Fresno, and the Giants want him to get more at-bats in the minors. For now, San Francisco is sticking with the light-hitting duo of Chris Stewart and Eli Whiteside at catcher, but they could acquire a veteran such as Ivan Rodriguez at the trade deadline.
ABOUT THE BREWERS (53-47): After center fielder Carlos Gomez broke his collarbone Wednesday, there was plenty of speculation about the Brewers trading for Carlos Beltran. While Milwaukee is supposedly in the mix, they can’t be considered favorites. The Mets are reportedly asking for a top prospect in return, and Milwaukee’s farm system is fairly depleted. In the short term, the Brewers called up Brett Carroll from Triple-A Nashville. Carroll is a .205 hitter in 173 big-league games. Nyjer Morgan figures to get most of the starts in center field with Gomez out. Gomez’s injury overshadowed another solid effort from starting pitcher Chris Narveson, who allowed four hits in seven scoreless innings. Zack Greinke followed Narveson’s outing with seven quality innings Thursday, although he gave up two solo home runs in a 4-0 loss to Arizona.
FINAL PITCH: Milwaukee’s Prince Fielder struck out three times with runners in scoring position Thursday and finished 1-for-16 during the four-game series against the Diamondbacks.