Cincinnati @ San Francisco preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 26, 2014 ) Cincinnati 3, San Francisco 1

The San Francisco Giants have lost 12 of their last 16 games heading into Friday’s contest against the visiting Cincinnati Reds, and manager Bruce Bochy is growing impatient with his team's struggling offense. “We’ve got to get the bats going,” he told reporters after Thursday’s 3-1 series-opening loss. “We’re playing some good teams and facing some great pitching going forward. It’s going to be vital that we get going.” The Giants have scored a total of seven runs over their last four games and face an uphill battle Friday against the Reds’ Johnny Cueto, who leads the majors with a 1.86 ERA.

While the Giants have seen their lead over second-place Los Angeles cut to two games in the National League West, Cincinnati has climbed to third in the NL Central with 11 wins in their last 15 games. Right fielder Jay Bruce has produced an extra-base hit in each of his last seven straight games, the longest streak by a Cincinnati player since Dave Parker’s eight-game run in 1986. Closer Aroldis Chapman has converted 13 straight save opportunities for the Reds, who moved a season-high two games over .500 with Thursday's victory.

TV: 10:15 p.m. ET, FSN Ohio (Cincinnati), CSN Bay Area (San Francisco)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Reds RH Johnny Cueto (7-5, 1.86 ERA) vs. Giants LH Madison Bumgarner (9-4, 2.63)

Cueto remained a leading candidate to start the All-Star game after holding Toronto to three runs (one earned) over eight innings last Sunday. The 28-year-old has gone 2-0 and allowed three earned runs over his last three starts covering 20 innings. Hunter Pence is 8-for-29 with 11 strikeouts against Cueto, who is 2-1 with a 1.93 ERA in four career starts against San Francisco, including a complete-game shutout in 2011.

Bumgarner is coming off a stellar outing against Arizona last Sunday, when he allowed one unearned run while striking out seven over eight innings. “He was exceptional,” Diamondbacks manager Kirk Gibson told reporters. “Maybe the best I have ever seen him.” Ryan Ludwick has just one hit in 17 at-bats against Bumgarner, who is 2-2 with a 4.11 ERA in five career starts against Cincinnati, including eight innings of one-run ball on June 5.

WALK-OFFS

1. Giants 1B/OF Michael Morse was scratched from Thursday’s starting lineup due to illness and hopes to return Friday.

2. Reds 3B Todd Frazier has a 13-game hitting streak against San Francisco.

3. San Francisco C Buster Posey has hit safely in 20 of 22 games this month and boasts six doubles in his last six games.

PREDICTION: Giants 2, Reds 1