San Francisco @ Atlanta preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 5, 2015 ) San Francisco 6, Atlanta 1

No team in baseball has won more often this month than the San Francisco Giants, who open a four-game road series Monday against the Atlanta Braves looking for their 21st victory – which would match last May’s total. San Francisco is 20-7 this month after winning the final two games of a three-game set at Colorado, riding a string of 15 victories in its last 17 contests to first place in the National League West.

Hot starting pitching has fueled the Giants’ surge, as their starters have gone 10-1 with a 1.53 ERA during that stretch, and Jeff Samardzija looks to continue his outstanding month in the series opener versus Atlanta. While San Francisco banged out a season high-tying 17 hits in Sunday’s 8-3 victory, the Braves were held to three hits in a 7-3 home loss to Miami. Still, Atlanta won its first home series this season by taking two games from the Marlins this weekend, but it sits at just 4-21 at Turner Field and 14-35 overall. Jeff Francoeur went 0-for-2 on Sunday after collecting eight hits in 13 at-bats over his previous three games.

TV: 1:10 p.m. ET, CSN Bay Area (San Francisco), FSN Southeast (Atlanta)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Giants RH Jeff Samardzija (7-2, 2.54 ERA) vs. Braves RH Mike Foltynewicz (1-2, 3.95)

Samardzija has lived up to expectations through his first 10 starts with San Francisco and has dominated in May, going 4-1 with a 1.41 ERA and a 6-to-1 strikeouts-to-walks ratio. The 31-year-old carries a three-start winning streak into Monday, having given up one run in each contest while defeating Arizona once and San Diego twice. Samardzija has made 10 career appearances (four starts) against Atlanta, going 2-1 with a 2.10 ERA and a .169 opponents' batting average.

Other than the first inning of his first start on May 2 and a short outing in a loss at Pittsburgh 17 days later, Foltynewicz has pitched well enough to solidify a spot in the rotation. The 24-year-old settled for a no-decision Wednesday against Milwaukee after giving up one run and four hits with seven strikeouts and four walks – the first free passes he issued since losing to the New York Mets in his initial turn. Foltynewicz went 0-1 in two starts against San Francisco last year, giving up eight runs and 14 hits - five homers - in 12 2/3 innings.

WALK-OFFS

1. Giants RF Hunter Pence has gone 5-for-10 with three RBIs in his last two games after being kept out of the starting lineup in the previous six contests due to a right hamstring strain.

2. San Francisco LF Gregor Blanco extended his hitting streak to five games Sunday as he was one of four Giants with three hits.

3. Atlanta closer Arodys Vizcaino has struck out at least one batter in 17 consecutive appearances, allowing three earned runs with seven walks and 30 strikeouts in 20 2/3 innings.

PREDICTION: Giants 4, Braves 1