Arizona @ San Francisco preview
AT&T Park
Last Meeting ( Apr 9, 2014 ) Arizona 7, San Francisco 3
Although Paul Goldschmidt owes much of his success against the San Francisco Giants to Tim Lincecum, the Arizona Diamondbacks’ slugger has been a thorn in their division rival’s side for some time. Goldschmidt, whose Diamondbacks look to take the rubber match of a three-game set on the road Thursday, has tallied 10 homers and 39 RBIs in 52 career games versus the Giants. The slugger hit a three-run shot and drove in four on Wednesday to increase his totals against Lincecum to seven home runs and 17 RBIs.
Goldschmidt’s hot bat could be a problem for Ryan Vogelsong, who was roughed up in his last outing and hasn’t been particularly effective versus the Diamondbacks recently (0-2 with an 8.51 ERA over his last five turns). Arizona has its own pitching problems to worry about with a National League-worst 6.00 team ERA – allowing at least seven runs six times – which has put manager Kirk Gibson on edge. "Obviously, things have not been going as we planned. We're better than this and we can't keep going on in this fashion,” Gibson told the Arizona Republic following Wednesday’s 7-3 win.
TV: 10:15 p.m. ET, FSN Arizona, CSN Bay Area (San Francisco)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Diamondbacks RH Randall Delgado (0-1, 11.57 ERA) vs. Giants RH Ryan Vogelsong (0-0, 9.00)
Delgado fell victim to a 6-for-6, five-RBI effort from Charlie Blackmon in Friday’s 12-2 setback against the Colorado Rockies, surrendering six runs and 10 hits over four-plus innings. It was the first start of the season for the 24-year-old Panamanian after he worked out of relief during the Diamondbacks’ two-game series against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Australia. Delgado has been dominant in his three career starts versus the Giants, however, holding them to a .121 average while going 1-1 with a 0.96 ERA.
Despite receiving eight runs of support over his first two innings in Friday’s 8-4 victory over the Dodgers, Vogelsong settled for the no-decision in large part because he needed 94 pitches to make it through four innings. The fifth-round selection of the Giants in the 1998 draft is 2-4 with a 4.48 ERA in 16 all-time appearances (10 starts) against Arizona. Aaron Hill (9-for-16), Miguel Montero (6-for-19) and Gerardo Parra (5-for-13) are among the seven Diamondbacks with career batting averages of at least .294 against him.
WALK-OFFS
1. The Giants will pay homage to their former home (Candlestick Park) with a “Farewell to the 'Stick” ceremony prior to the start of Thursday’s contest.
2. The Diamondbacks have been successful in six of their first eight steal attempts after finishing last in the NL with a 60 percent success rate in 2013.
3. Goldschmidt’s home run off Lincecum on Wednesday marked the 22nd time an opposing right-handed hitter homered to right field since AT&T Park opened in 2000.
PREDICTION: Diamondbacks 6, Giants 4