San Francisco @ Cincinnati preview
Great American Ball Park
Last Meeting ( Jul 29, 2011 ) San Francisco 3, Cincinnati 4
THE STORY: The San Francisco Giants specialize in winning close games, but the addition of Carlos Beltran's offense was supposed to eliminate a few nailbiters. That hasn't happened. Beltran is off to a rough start with his new team, including going 1-for-5 with three strikeouts in Friday's 4-3, 13-inning loss to the Reds. Beltran and the Giants play at Cincinnati on Saturday night in the second game of their weekend set. Edgar Renteria, who was the 2010 World Series MVP with San Francisco, won Friday's game with a single off closer Brian Wilson.
TV: 7:10 pm. ET, Fox Sports Ohio, Comcast Sports Bay Area (San Francisco)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Giants LH Madison Bumgarner (6-9, 3.56) vs. Reds RH Mike Leake (8-6, 4.04 ERA).
Bumgarner, who turns 22 on Monday, has won his last three decisions despite a lack of run support. He’s 2-0 with a 2.83 ERA over his last five starts. The Giants’ offense failed him in the first meeting against Cincinnati this season. Bumgarner allowed one run and eight hits in seven-plus innings of a 3-0 loss on June 9. Leake is third in the NL in run support (7.74), but he’s winless in his last three outings. The righthander is 0-2 with a 4.09 ERA in that span. His best start of the season came against the Giants on June 11. Leake held San Francisco to four hits and struck out eight in eight innings of a 10-2 win.
ABOUT THE REDS (51-55): The Reds are seeking to win two straight for just the second time since mid-June. They’ve had a miserable July (9-15). Brandon Phillips extended his hitting streak to eight games Friday and recorded his 500th RBI with a sacrifice fly in the first inning. Phillips is hitting .333 (12-for-36) during the streak. Rookie Zack Cozart, who began his career with a seven-game hitting streak, took swings Friday for the first time since suffering a hyperextended elbow July 23. Reliever Aroldis Chapman struck out four in two perfect innings Friday and has retired 23 of the last 24 hitters he’s faced.
ABOUT THE GIANTS (61-45): San Francisco sits atop the National League West mostly because of its stellar pitching and the ability to pull out close games. The Giants entered Friday’s contest a major league-best 28-12 in one-run contests. Beltran was brought aboard to help their anemic offense, but he’s 1-for-9 with an RBI and five strikeouts in two games since being acquired from the New York Mets on Wednesday. Thursday’s 0-for-4 snapped his string of reaching base safely at 32 games. Wilson, despite taking the loss Friday, is on pace for 51 saves. That would be a career-high and a franchise record. Wilson anchors a bullpen that has allowed three earned runs in the last 51 innings.
FINAL PITCH: Bumgarner has issued two or fewer walks in each of his last 19 starts. It is the longest streak by a Giant since Juan Marichal went 21 straight starts without walking more than two batters in 1970-71.