San Francisco @ Cincinnati preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 4, 2014 ) San Francisco 3, Cincinnati 2

The San Francisco Giants hope to have conquered their demons at Great American Ball Park as they look to make it two in a row when they visit the Cincinnati Reds for the rubber match of their three-game series Thursday afternoon. San Francisco has had very little success in Cincinnati of late, losing 11 of 12 visits before rallying for a 3-2 victory on Wednesday. Michael Morse belted a solo homer in the sixth inning and Juan Perez added a two-run shot two batters later as the Giants overcame a 2-0 deficit en route to their sixth win in eight contests.

The victory was San Francisco's third in the last 12 overall regular-season meetings between the clubs. Cincinnati had its four-game winning streak snapped and dropped to 1-1 on its 10-game homestand. Thursday's starter Mike Leake is counting on the Reds to continue their recent offensive surge, as the club has averaged five runs over its last five games but only 3.09 when the right-hander takes the mound.

TV: 12:35 p.m. ET, CSN Bay Area (San Francisco), FSN Ohio (Cincinnati)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Giants LH Madison Bumgarner (7-3, 2.85 ERA) vs. Reds RH Mike Leake (3-4, 2.92)

Bumgarner rebounded from a poor ending in April in a big way, going 5-0 with a 2.08 ERA in six starts in May to earn National League Pitcher of the Month honors after losing his last three outings the previous month. The 24-year-old is coming off his best start of the campaign as he scattered three hits while recording a season high-tying 10 strikeouts in seven scoreless innings of a victory at St. Louis on Friday. Bumgarner has not pitched very well against Cincinnati over his career, going 1-2 with a 5.16 ERA in four outings.

Leake ended his seven-start winless streak Friday, when he yielded four runs - three earned - in six innings of a triumph at Arizona. The 27-year-old deserved better results during his skid as he allowed fewer than three earned runs in each of his last five outings prior to the victory over the Diamondbacks. Leake has had San Francisco's number, posting a 4-0 record with one complete game in five starts and one relief appearance.

WALK-OFFS

1. Cincinnati CF Billy Hamilton has gone 5-for-9 over his last two games after missing a contest with a sore right elbow.

2. Giants RHP Matt Cain, who is on the disabled list with a strained right hamstring, is expected to be activated and start Friday's game against the New York Mets.

3. Reds RF Jay Bruce registered his 500th career RBI on Wednesday, joining Johnny Bench, Frank Robinson, Vada Pinson and Adam Dunn as the only players in club history to reach the plateau by age 27 or younger.

PREDICTION: Giants 5, Reds 2