June 15, 2011
GIANTS (38-29) vs.
ARIZONA (37-31)
Coverage begins at 6 P.M. on Comcast SportsNet Bay Area
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Bay Area and California sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
ARIZONA (AP) -- After showing some offensive life to win the opener of a key road series with the Arizona Diamondbacks, the San Francisco Giants hope to provide Madison Bumgarner with some rare support in their next contest.
Bumgarner looks to avoid a third straight losing start and help the NL West-leading Giants beat the Diamondbacks for a fifth consecutive time Wednesday night.
San Francisco (38-29) had scored more than five runs only once in its previous 10 games, but won 6-5 at Arizona on Tuesday to increase its lead to 1 12 games over the Diamondbacks (37-31). The Giants improved to 6-1 in the season series, and have won each of the last four meetings by one run.
REWIND: Giants hold off D-Backs, preserve win for Cain
News
"Doesn't matter the team, we usually play tight games," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. "We don't have too many games that get out of hand either way."
San Francisco has scored at least five runs in each of its games this season at Chase Field, where it has gone 3-1 this year and has won nine of 11.
The Giants hope to give similar support to Bumgarner (2-8, 3.23 ERA), who has gotten either one run or none from the offense in seven of his starts. The right-hander limited Cincinnati to one run over seven innings Thursday, but wound up on the losing end of a 3-0 score.
RELATED: Madison Bumgarner 2011 game logs
It was the third time this season the Giants got shut out with Bumgarner on the mound
"He knows he (does) all he can do to win a ballgame," Bochy said. "We just have to get this figured out. It's gone on longer than even I thought it would."
Bumgarner has received an average 5.88 runs of support while going 2-0 with a 2.42 ERA in four career starts versus Arizona. His worst of those outings came April 17, when he allowed four runs in 6 2-3 innings of a 6-5, 12-inning loss at Chase Field.
Cody Ross had a two-run double and scored on a double steal as the Giants took a 5-0 lead Tuesday, then needed to hold on late. Ross is 5 for 15 with three RBIs in four games against the Diamondbacks this season.
Teammate Pablo Sandoval was 1 for 4 with an RBI in his first game after missing 1 12 months with a broken hand. Sandoval is batting .366 with 19 RBIs in 24 career games at Arizona.
URBAN: Sandoval, Giants pumped on Panda
Joe Saunders (3-6, 4.56) takes the ball for the Diamondbacks looking to bounce back after he allowed five runs on three homers in six innings of a 6-4 loss at Florida on Friday.
The left-hander had been 3-0 with a 2.33 ERA in his previous four starts.
"He made some mistakes, they pounded him, it's going to happen from time to time," manager Kirk Gibson said.
Saunders was not much better in his only career appearance against San Francisco on April 16, giving up five runs and 12 hits in 6 2-3 innings of a 5-3 home loss.
Catcher Miguel Montero hit a three-run homer Tuesday for the Diamondbacks, who have still won four of six. Montero is 9 for 22 with two home runs, five doubles and nine RBIs in his last five games, but is 0 for 7 lifetime versus Bumgarner.