San Diego @ San Francisco preview
Oracle Park
Last Meeting ( Sep 7, 2011 ) San Francisco 1, San Diego 3
THE STORY: The San Francisco Giants have little margin for error as they open a three-game series against the San Diego Padres on Monday. The Giants picked up a game on the Arizona Diamondbacks on Sunday but are still 8 1/2 games behind the National League West leaders with 16 contests remaining. Arizona’s magic number to clinch the division stands at eight. San Francisco faces a pitcher it hasn’t been able to solve this season. Padres starter Aaron Harang defeated the Giants last Wednesday in San Diego and has allowed just two runs in 20 innings against San Francisco this season.
TV: 10:15 p.m. ET, Ch4 (San Diego), CSCA (San Francisco).
PITCHING MATCHUP: Padres RH Aaron Harang (13-5, 3.74 ERA) vs. Giants LH Eric Surkamp (1-0, 3.27 ERA)
Harang allowed just one run and four hits in seven innings in last week’s outing against the Giants. He has allowed six runs in 26 innings over his last four starts, despite going just 2-2. Harang has more victories this season than he had the last two campaigns combined (12). Harang is 2-0 with a 0.90 ERA in three outings against San Francisco this season and is 7-6 with a 3.03 ERA in 16 career starts. Carlos Beltran is batting .308 in 26 career at-bats against Harang.
Surkamp is making his third start for the Giants. He picked up his first major-league win against San Diego on Tuesday when he allowed three runs and five hits in five innings. Surkamp received a no-decision in his debut on Aug. 27 when he held the Houston Astros to one run over six innings. He was selected in the sixth round of the 2008 draft and skipped the Triple-A level before his recent recall to the majors.
ABOUT THE GIANTS (76-70): San Francisco defeated Los Angeles on Sunday to avoid a three-game sweep. Pablo Sandoval had a career-best three doubles and is batting .429 during a six-game hitting streak. Aubrey Huff had two hits in his first start in six days due to back woes. Huff is just 1-for-13 in his career against Harang. Beltran was hitless in 12 at-bats in the series against the Dodgers. Slumping Andres Torres (.222) is hitting .333 in 42 at-bats against San Diego this season. Lefthander Barry Zito (foot) has been activated from the disabled list. Closer Brian Wilson (elbow) is slated to throw a bullpen session Monday.
ABOUT THE PADRES (63-84): San Diego defeated Arizona on Sunday for just its third win in 10 games in September. Nick Hundley belted a two-run homer while Jesus Guzman and James Darnell also had two RBIs apiece. Guzman has 38 RBIs since the All-Star break and Darnell has five RBIs over the past two games. Slumping Orlando Hudson went 0-for-4 and is hitless in his last 32 at-bats. Closer Heath Bell recorded his 37th save just one night after blowing a two-run ninth-inning lead in what turned out to be a 10-inning loss. Bell has blown five saves this season - with two of them coming after Aug. 21.
FINAL PITCH: San Diego withdrew its protest of Saturday’s loss to Arizona. The Padres protested after Arizona won the game on a bases-loaded walk, claiming that the runner on second (Miguel Montero) never touched third base. The Padres learned Sunday that the rulebook doesn’t require runners at first and second to advance to the next base in such situations.