Cleveland @ San Francisco preview
AT&T Park
Last Meeting ( Apr 25, 2014 ) Cleveland 1, San Francisco 5
The San Francisco Giants served notice their recent woes in interleague play may be a thing of the past in their last time out. The Giants eye their third straight victory Saturday when they continue their three-game series against the Cleveland Indians. San Francisco posted a 6-14 record against the American League in 2013 – tied for the worst mark in the majors – and went 13-22 over the past two seasons, but halted those struggles with Friday’s 5-1 win thanks in part to a pair of hot bats.
Hunter Pence, who is batting .311 in 111 career interleague contests, went 2-for-4 with two RBIs in the opener and is 9-for-16 over last four games, while Michael Morse homered for the third time in the two games. Offense was in short supply for Cleveland, however, as the Indians managed only five hits while the bottom six spots in their lineup went 0-for-21. The sluggish performance followed a five-game stretch in which the team pounded out 43 hits while winning four of five.
TV: 4:05 p.m. ET, SportsTime Ohio (Cleveland), CSN Bay Area (San Francisco)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Indians RH Zach McAllister (3-0, 2.28 ERA) vs. Giants RH Tim Lincecum (1-1, 6.43)
Although Cleveland’s defense didn’t help matters with three errors, McAllister won for the third time in as many starts in Monday’s 4-3 victory over the Kansas City Royals. The 26-year-old, who has posted a 1.37 ERA and yielded 15 hits in 19 2/3 innings during his winning streak, allowed three runs (two earned) and six hits over six frames versus the Royals. McAllister is 2-1 with a 2.49 ERA in four all-time interleague outings entering his first start against the Giants.
Lincecum matched a season high with seven strikeouts and notched his first win of 2014 after allowing three runs on seven hits over six frames during Sunday’s 4-3 triumph over the San Diego Padres. Even though he posted his first quality start of the season, the two-time National League Cy Young Award winner also surrendered his sixth homer – tied for the fourt-highest total in the majors. Lincecum, who is 8-10 with a 4.16 ERA in 23 career interleague starts, will face Cleveland for the first time.
WALK-OFFS
1. San Francisco C Buster Posey went hitless in three at-bats on Friday and is 3-for-36 over his last 12 contests.
2. McAllister hasn’t allowed a home run in 31 consecutive innings.
3. Morse has six homers through 23 games, one more than the Giants received from their left fielders in 2013.
PREDICTION: Indians 5, Giants 3