Cincinnati @ San Francisco preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 4, 2013 ) San Francisco 0, Cincinnati 0

The Cincinnati Reds begin an 11-day, 12-game road trip on Monday against the San Francisco Giants and Tim Lincecum, who is making his first start since tossing his first career no-hitter. The Reds counter with Bronson Arroyo, who has been the team’s de facto stopper this season. Cincinnati, which saw its three-game winning streak come to an end on Sunday, is 8-0 when Arroyo starts after a Reds loss.

San Francisco sits in fourth place in the National League West, 5 1/2 games behind division-leading Arizona. Pablo Sandoval has broken out of a lengthy slump by hitting safely in nine of his last 10 games, and Buster Posey is hitting .404 over his last 11 contests. Shin-Soo Choo enters with a career-high 15-game hitting streak for Cincinnati, which sits five games behind first-place Pittsburgh in the National League Central.

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

PITCHING MATCHUP: Reds RH Bronson Arroyo (8-7, 3.42 ERA) vs. Giants RH Tim Lincecum (5-9, 4.26)

Arroyo has won two of his last three starts and has not allowed more than three earned runs in an outing since May 29. The 36-year-old has performed well against the Giants, allowing fewer than three runs in each of his last nine starts. Hunter Pence is 12-for-37 with two home runs against Arroyo, who yielded one run in six innings against San Francisco on July 1.

Lincecum pitched the 15th no-hitter in franchise history and seventh in San Francisco history on July 13 at San Diego. The two-time Cy Young Award winner was the opposing pitcher during Homer Bailey's no-hitter on July 2, when he allowed three runs over 5 1/3 innings. Joey Votto is 4-for-11 with a homer against Lincecum, who is 0-2 with a 6.85 ERA in four career starts versus the Reds.

WALK-OFFS

1. Giants manager Bruce Bochy is one win shy of 1,500 for his career.

2. Cincinnati relievers have posted a 0.94 ERA over their last 16 games, allowing five earned runs in 47 2/3 innings.

3. Lincecum has recorded 24 strikeouts over 16 innings in his last two starts.

PREDICTION: Giants 6, Reds 4