San Francisco @ Arizona preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 9, 2016 ) San Francisco 7, Arizona 6

If the San Francisco Giants are going to end their second-half slide, they’ll do it with a new closer. Santiago Casilla has been removed from the role by Giants manager Bruce Bochy, whose team heads into Saturday’s game against the Arizona Diamondbacks looking to continue their recent dominance at Chase Field.

Casilla blew his eighth save on Friday as Jake Lamb homered in the 10th inning before San Francisco improved to 7-1 at Chase Field this season with a 12-inning, 7-6 victory. The embattled closer will be replaced by a committee that figures to include Joe Nathan, Hunter Strickland, Sergio Romo, Javier Lopez, Will Smith and rookie Derek Law, who has been out with an elbow injury but could return early next week. Right fielder Hunter Pence is batting .354 over his last 16 games for San Francisco, which stands four games behind the Dodgers in the National League West and a half-game ahead of New York and one game clear of St. Louis in the wild-card standings. The Giants have won 11 of their last 13 games against Arizona, which may have lost A.J. Pollock for the rest of the season when the center fielder left Friday’s game with a left groin injury.

TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, CSN Bay Area (San Francisco), FSN Arizona

PITCHING MATCHUP: Giants RH Johnny Cueto (14-5, 2.92 ERA) vs. Diamondbacks RH Archie Bradley (6-8, 4.85)

Cueto received a no-decision last Sunday against the Cubs despite allowing one run on five hits over seven innings. The strong outing was a positive sign for the Giants, who saw the 30-year-old go 1-2 with a 4.38 ERA over six starts last month. Lamb is 4-for-11 with a home run against Cueto, who owns an 8-3 mark and 3.23 ERA in 12 career starts against Arizona, including 2-2 with a 4.56 ERA in four outings this season.

Bradley turned in an encouraging outing last Sunday at Coors Field by working through trouble and holding Colorado to two runs on six hits over six innings. “He did a great job,” manager Chip Hale told reporters. “That’s a tough lineup to navigate always here in this ballpark. It wasn’t pretty, but a lot of times here it isn’t.” Buster Posey has four hits in eight at-bats against Bradley, who allowed two runs over six innings in 4-0 loss at San Francisco on July 10.

WALK-OFFS

1. Giants RHP Hunter Strickland has held opponents scoreless in 19 of his last 21 appearances.

2. Arizona C Chris Herrmann broke his left hand in Friday’s game and is out for the season.

3. Eight of San Francisco’s last 10 games have been decided by one run.

PREDICTION: Giants 7, Diamondbacks 3