Arizona @ San Francisco preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 29, 2010 ) Arizona 1, San Francisco 3

The San Francisco Giants now know they will need to beat the San Diego Padres at least one time this weekend to win their first National League West title since 2003.

The Giants and Padres both won their respective games on Wednesday to keep the suspense going until at least Friday and San Francisco’s magic number to clinch the division stands at three entering Thursday’s afternoon contest against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

San Francisco leads San Diego by two games with four to play after riding Pat Burrell’s bat and Tim Lincecum’s arm to victory on Wednesday. Burrell hit a three-run homer and Lincecum struck out 11 in seven innings as the Giants prevailed 3-1.

The victory gave San Francisco a 90-win season for the first time since 2004 and continued a hot September in which the Giants have gone 17-8. San Francisco has won seven of its last nine.

The Giants can move closer to the division crown Thursday if left-hander Madison Bumgarner pitches the way he did in his last start when he takes the mound against the Diamondbacks.

Bumgarner (6-6) struck out nine while hurling seven shutout innings in a victory over the Chicago Cubs for his fifth consecutive stellar outing.

One of those superb performances was against the Diamondbacks on Sept. 6 when Bumgarner tossed 7 1/3 innings of shutout ball, allowing five hits while striking out seven.

Bumgarner, who has a 3.06 earned-run average in 17 starts, was pushed back a day to keep Lincecum fresh in case the Giants need his services for a one-game playoff on Monday or even desire to bring him back on short rest Sunday if needed.

Arizona will also pitch a rookie Thursday when it sends Barry Enright (6-6) to the mound.

This will mark Enright’s fourth start against the Giants this season. The right-hander has gone 1-1 with a 3.79 ERA in the previous three outings.

Enright was 6-2 after beating the Padres on Sept. 1 but has lost four consecutive outings. He has allowed 19 runs in 20 2/3 innings during the span as his ERA has gone from 2.45 to 3.73.

Giants catcher Buster Posey has gone 5-for-9 against Enright.

Arizona third baseman Mark Reynolds drew a walk in a pinch-hitting appearance Wednesday in his first action since injuring a thumb last Friday. Reynolds may return to the lineup on Thursday.

Giants closer Brian Wilson notched his 47th save of the campaign, one shy of the franchise record set by Rod Beck in 1993.