San Francisco @ Detroit preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 5, 2014 ) San Francisco 8, Detroit 2

Two of the top left-handed pitchers in the majors square off when David Price leads the Detroit Tigers into Saturday’s matchup against Madison Bumgarner and the visiting San Francisco Giants. Price is in double digits in victories for the sixth straight season – topped by his 2012 Cy Young campaign – while Bumgarner is just four victories away from his first 20-win campaign. Pablo Sandoval homered and had two RBIs as San Francisco won the opener 8-2.

The Giants remained two games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League West with Friday’s victory. Hot-hitting catcher Buster Posey had two hits in the opener and is 30-for-62 with six homers and 20 RBIs over his last 14 games. Detroit sits two games behind the first-place Kansas City Royals in the American League Central and trails the Seattle Mariners by a half-game in the battle for the second wild card.

TV: 1:08 p.m. ET, FOX

PITCHING MATCHUP: Giants LH Madison Bumgarner (16-9, 2.97 ERA) vs. Tigers LH David Price (13-10, 3.25)

Bumgarner has won three consecutive and has allowed just eight earned runs over his last six starts. He has walked just seven batters over his last 10 outings and issued just 39 all season. Bumgarner received a no-decision against Detroit in 2011 when he allowed one run and five hits in 7 1/3 innings.

Price is 2-2 with a 3.86 ERA in six starts since Detroit acquired him from the Tampa Bay Rays. He defeated Cleveland in his last outing to rebound from getting rocked for eight runs and 12 hits in two-plus innings by the New York Yankees. Price took a no-decision against the Giants in 2013 despite allowing one run and five hits in nine innings.

WALK-OFFS

1. Sandoval is 11-for-29 with two homers and seven RBIs over his last seven games.

2. Detroit slugger Miguel Cabrera is 11-for-22 over the last five games, but doesn’t have a run scored or RBI over the last four contests.

3. San Francisco SS Brandon Crawford has two three-hit outings over his last four games, going 7-for-15 during the span.

PREDICTION: Giants 4, Tigers 3