Arizona @ San Francisco preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 9, 2015 ) San Francisco 1, Arizona 2

San Francisco ace Madison Bumgarner is looking to record his career-best 19th victory when the Giants host the Arizona Diamondbacks in Friday's opener of a three-game series. The red-hot Bumgarner tossed a one-hit shutout against San Diego in his last turn and has won seven of his past eight starts.

Bumgarner's sensational pitching hasn't allowed the Giants to make up much ground as they sit 7 1/2 games behind the first-place Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League West with 16 contests to play. San Francisco has won five of its past six games but hopes of a wild-card berth continue to fade as both the Pittsburgh Pirates and Chicago Cubs remain well ahead in that derby. Arizona has found AT&T Park much to its liking this season, winning six of seven games while holding a 9-7 overall edge in the season series. The Diamondbacks have lost nine of their last 13 games and left fielder David Peralta has just one RBI - on a solo homer - during a 13-game hitting streak.

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

PITCHING MATCHUP: Diamondbacks RH Rubby De La Rosa (12-8, 4.75 ERA) vs. Giants LH Madison Bumgarner (18-7, 2.91)

De La Rosa has dropped his last two starts and three of his past four. He was drilled for six runs and nine hits - including two homers - in two-plus innings while losing to the Los Angeles Dodgers in his last turn. De La Rosa pitched eight-plus innings of eight-hit shutout ball to defeat the Giants on June 14 and he is 2-1 with a 4.56 ERA in five career appearances (four starts).

Bumgarner had a perfect game through 7 2/3 innings against the Padres before settling for his fifth career regular-season shutout. He has excelled at home with a 9-2 record, 1.85 ERA and 0.90 WHIP in 15 starts this season. Bumgarner is 8-5 with a 2.63 ERA in 22 career appearances (21 starts) against the Diamondbacks and is 2-1 with a 2.33 ERA in four 2015 outings.

WALK-OFFS

1. Giants 1B Brandon Belt is 10-for-29 with three doubles, one triple and one homer during an eight-game hitting streak.

2. Arizona CF A.J. Pollock had three hits against San Diego on Wednesday to mark the 20th time he has had three or more hits this season.

3. San Francisco 2B Kelby Tomlinson has three multi-hit efforts in the past five games and is 7-for-20 during the stretch.

PREDICTION: Giants 6, Diamondbacks 1