Philadelphia @ San Francisco preview
AT&T Park
Last Meeting ( Aug 16, 2014 ) Philadelphia 5, San Francisco 6
A win against a cellar-dwelling foe is rarely cause for celebration for most teams, but the San Francisco Giants may have given themselves a big boost with their most recent home victory. The Giants eye a rare series win at home on Sunday when they meet the Philadelphia Phillies in the rubber match of a three-game set. San Francisco dug out of a four-run hole in the sixth inning to pull out a 6-5 triumph on Saturday, marking its fourth victory this season when it trailed by that many runs.
The Giants, who took two of three at home from Arizona heading into the All-Star break, prevailed for only the ninth time in their last 32 home games and have a chance to win only their second three-game home set since June 6-8, when they swept the New York Mets. Saturday’s triumph allowed San Francisco to overtake Pittsburgh for the National League’s second wild-card spot and move within 4 ½ games of the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West. Philadelphia – in last place in the NL East – has dropped six of eight and needs a win in the series finale to avoid a 1-4 road trip.
TV: 4:05 p.m. ET, CSN (Philadelphia), CSN Bay Area (San Francisco)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Phillies RH David Buchanan (6-6, 4.40 ERA) vs. Giants RH Tim Lincecum (9-8, 4.51)
Buchanan recorded his fourth consecutive quality start, but dropped his first decision in three tries following Monday’s 5-3 setback versus the Mets. The 25-year-old Atlanta native has yielded a total of two homers and no more than three runs in his last seven turns, but is only 4-3 over that time despite a 3.35 ERA. Buchanan, who is holding left-handed hitters to a .227 average, will square off against San Francisco for the first time.
Since earning his first career save in a 14-inning victory over Philadelphia on July 22, Lincecum has given up at least five runs in three of his next four outings. One of those turns came in Sunday’s 7-4 loss to Kansas City in which he surrendered six runs over 3 1/3 innings as his winless streak was extended to five starts. The two-time NL Cy Young Award winner has made 12 all-time starts against the Phillies, going 5-3 with a 3.27 ERA.
WALK-OFFS
1. San Francisco is only 3-10 in its last 13 contests decided by two runs or fewer.
2. Phillies CF Ben Revere, who tallied his fifth four-hit game of the season on Saturday, has multiple hits in 22 of his last 44 games.
3. Giants rookie 2B Joe Panik has recorded at least one hit in nine of his 12 games in August and is batting .372 this month.
PREDICTION: Giants 3, Phillies 2