Washington @ San Francisco preview
Oracle Park
Last Meeting ( May 25, 2010 ) Washington 2, San Francisco 4
Think about all those poor offensive performances during San Francisco’s recently concluded five-game losing streak.
The Giants were blanked twice and scored just one run in two others. The exception to the struggles was a seven-run outburst against the Arizona Diamondbacks on May 20.
Seven runs, with Tim Lincecum pitching – and they lost the game.
Lincecum couldn’t have picked a worse time for his first troublesome outing of the season and he’ll look to get back on the beam tonight when the Giants host the Washington Nationals in the second of a three-game series in San Francisco.
Lincecum is 5-0 but has won just once in his last five starts. The other three occasions weren’t his fault as the bullpen struggled after he left. But the outing against the Diamondbacks was largely on him.
The two-time reigning National League Cy Young Award winner gave up five runs, five hits and walked five in five innings while taking a no-decision. And that kept him stuck on five wins as Arizona pulled out an 8-7 victory.
Despite the rough outing, Lincecum has a 2.35 ERA and leads the majors with 75 strikeouts. He had allowed just 11 runs in eight starts before faltering against Arizona.
San Francisco manager Bruce Bochy took a swing at getting the Giants out of their offensive slump by shaking the lineup up for Tuesday’s 4-2 victory over Washington in the series opener.
Bochy moved third baseman Pablo Sandoval to first base and first baseman Aubrey Huff to left field to get team RBI leader Juan Uribe (25 RBIs) in the lineup at third base now that both shortstop Edgar Renteria (groin) and second baseman Freddy Sanchez (shoulder) are recovered from injuries.
The Giants scored all four of their runs in the fifth inning and, ironically, it was starting pitcher Todd Wellemeyer’s two-out single that started the uprising. Renteria (one), Sanchez (two) and Sandoval (one) had the RBIs in the inning.
Washington rookie Luis Atilano, who was hit hard by the New York Mets in his most recent outing, will oppose Lincecum.
Atilano (3-1) suffered his first major league loss by giving up seven runs – six earned – and nine hits in 4 1/3 innings. The bombardment saw his ERA rise from 3.90 to 5.06.
Atilano had allowed three earned runs or fewer in four of his five starts since his recall before New York lit into him.
Meanwhile, the Nationals need a starting pitcher for Saturday’s game in San Diego, but it won’t be highly hyped phenom Stephen Strasburg, the No. 1 overall pick last June out of San Diego State.
Saturday is Strasburg’s next turn to pitch but the Nationals have indicated he will be again pitching for Triple-A Syracuse on that day.
Washington is expected to decide between two other starters currently at Syracuse – left-hander Matt Chico or right-hander J.D. Martin.