San Francisco @ San Diego preview
PETCO Park
Last Meeting ( Jul 11, 2013 ) San Francisco 4, San Diego 2
The San Francisco Giants will attempt to post consecutive victories for the first time in nearly a month Friday, when they continue their four-game series at the San Diego Padres. San Francisco was 37-34 on June 19 following back-to-back wins over San Diego but dropped 16 of its next 19 prior to Thursday’s 4-2 series-opening triumph. The Giants have not secured a victory in a game not started by Madison Bumgarner since a 2-1, 11-inning win over the Miami Marlins on June 22.
As bad as the defending world champions have been of late, the Padres have been worse. Much like the Giants, San Diego was 38-36 on June 21 following consecutive victories, but it has lost 16 of 19 overall to fall into last place in the National League West. The Padres have managed two runs or fewer in 12 of those 19 games and are batting .218 in July, ahead of only San Francisco (.208).
TV: 10:10 p.m. ET, CSN Bay Area (San Francisco), FSN (San Diego)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Giants RH Chad Gaudin (2-1, 2.44 ERA) vs. Padres RH Sean O'Sullivan (NR)
Gaudin has allowed two runs or fewer in four of his five outings since joining the rotation but is winless over his last three turns. The right-hander yielded one run and four hits over seven innings in Sunday’s 4-1 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers but settled for a no-decision despite nine strikeouts. The former Padre is 2-6 with a 5.30 ERA in his career at Petco Park but has a 2.08 ERA in 4 1/3 relief innings against San Diego this season.
O'Sullivan – a San Diego native – will make his first major-league start since Sept. 27, 2011 while a member of the Kansas City Royals. The 25-year-old is 7-4 with a 3.88 ERA in 18 starts this season with Triple-A Tucson and has 90 strikeouts over 102 innings. O'Sullivan has appeared in 43 games over his career with the Royals and Los Angeles Angels, defeating the Giants in his major-league debut on June 16, 2009.
WALK-OFFS
1. The last San Francisco starter other than Bumgarner to win a game was Matt Cain on June 13.
2. Padres 1B Yonder Alonso (broken right hand), who has been on the disabled list since May 31, is expected to be in the starting lineup for Friday's game.
3. The Giants have scored a major league-low 25 runs in July, while the Padres’ 30 runs is tied with the Colorado Rockies for the third-worst mark.
PREDICTION: Giants 3, Padres 2