Cincinnati @ San Francisco preview
AT&T Park
Last Meeting ( Jul 23, 2013 ) San Francisco 5, Cincinnati 3
The San Francisco Giants are scoreboard-watching in July, and the Los Angeles Dodgers are to blame. The fourth-place Giants are 6 1/2 games behind the National League West-leading Dodgers heading into Wednesday’s series finale against the visiting Cincinnati Reds, who have won five of their last seven. While the surging Dodgers have captured 22 of their last 27 contests, the Giants are struggling to keep pace after losing 18 of their last 26.
Cincinnati sits in third place in the NL Central, five games behind St. Louis. The Reds won their first five meetings with San Francisco by a 34-6 margin before losing the nightcap of Tuesday’s doubleheader. Cincinnati punished starting pitchers Tim Lincecum, Eric Surkamp and Barry Zito in the first three games of the series, but they’ve failed to score in 16 innings against the Giants’ bullpen.
TV: 10:15 p.m. ET, FSN Ohio (Cincinnati), CSN Bay Area (San Francisco)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Reds RH Mike Leake (9-4, 2.79 ERA) vs. Giants RH Chad Gaudin (4-1, 2.15)
Leake served up three solo homers in 5 2/3 innings against the Pirates on Friday, making it six blasts he's allowed in his last three starts. He owns a 7-2 record and 2.00 ERA over his last 12 outings. Pablo Sandoval is 7-for-10 with two home runs against the 25-year-old, who is 3-0 with a 4.18 in five career games (four starts) against the Giants.
Gaudin improved to 4-0 with a 2.23 ERA in seven starts since replacing Ryan Vogelsong (hand) in the rotation by holding the Diamondbacks scoreless for seven innings on Friday. The 30-year-old has posted a 0.77 ERA over his last four outings. He’s 0-1 with a 4.82 ERA in three career games (one start) against Cincinnati.
WALK-OFFS
1. Reds OF/INF Todd Frazier has recorded seven hits and six RBIs in the first three games of the series.
2. San Francisco's Bruce Bochy became the 21st manager in major-league history with 1,500 career victories on Tuesday.
3. Reds C Ryan Hanigan (left wrist) is expected to be activated from the disabled list on Thursday.
PREDICTION: Reds 6, Giants 5