St. Louis @ San Francisco preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 1, 2014 ) St. Louis 0, San Francisco 5

The key to success for the San Francisco Giants is apparently to let Tim Lincecum pitch every day. The Giants will try to halt a six-game losing streak when anyone other than Lincecum starts when they host the St. Louis Cardinals on Wednesday in the second of a three-game set. Lincecum pitched a no-hitter against San Diego last week and dominated through eight inning in a 5-0 triumph in Tuesday’s series opener.

The Cardinals got off to a decent start on their 10-game road trip by taking two of three in Colorado but have since dropped four of five to the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco. St. Louis managed a total of one run in those setbacks and has suffered back-to-back shutouts for the second time this season. The Giants totaled six runs during a four-game slide before Tuesday’s win, which featured Pablo Sandoval’s 100th career home run.

TV: 10:15 p.m. ET, FSN Midwest (St. Louis), CSN Bay Area (San Francisco)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Cardinals RH Adam Wainwright (10-4, 2.01 ERA) vs. Giants RH Ryan Vogelsong (5-4, 3.96)

Wainwright came out on the wrong end of a 1-0 shutout at Los Angeles on Thursday, surrendering the lone run on a single in the eighth inning. The staff ace has allowed a total of four runs in 31 innings over his last four starts. That stretch began after Wainwright was lit up for a season-high seven runs on eight hits in 4 1/3 innings to suffer a loss to San Francisco on May 30.

Vogelsong is coming off a tough-luck loss as well after allowing one run and striking out seven over six innings Thursday against Cincinnati. The veteran is trying to find some consistency after posting a 1-1 record with a 7.31 ERA in his three previous turns. Vogelsong went up against St. Louis on May 29 and yielded four runs on seven hits in 6 1/3 innings without factoring in the decision.

WALK-OFFS

1. Giants CF Angel Pagan will see a back specialist in Los Angeles on Wednesday after suffering a setback in his return from the DL.

2. St. Louis is in a 1-for-19 slump with runners in scoring position over the last three games.

3. San Francisco SS Brandon Crawford is 1-for-15 over the last five games.

PREDICTION: Cardinals 6, Giants 1