San Francisco @ Arizona preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 16, 2014 ) San Francisco 2, Arizona 1

The San Francisco Giants aren’t ready to abandon their National League West title hopes just yet. The Giants sit three games behind first-place Los Angeles in the division with 11 remaining heading into Wednesday’s rubber match against the host Arizona Diamondbacks. Buster Posey homered in Tuesday’s 2-1 victory and is hitting .454 over his last 24 games for the Giants, who are four games clear in the NL wild card race.

San Francisco’s Juan Perez has gone hitless in nine at-bats this series while starting in place of center fielder Angel Pagan, who remains day-to-day due to back stiffness. “We miss him when he’s not in the lineup,” manager Bruce Bochy told reporters. “He’s our leadoff hitter. He’s our catalyst. It’s tough when he’s not in the lineup. It’s tougher than you would think.” Diamondbacks leadoff hitter Ender Inciarte continues to impress while leading all NL rookies with 77 hits since June 24.

TV: 3:40 p.m. ET, CSN Bay Area (San Francisco), FSN Arizona

PITCHING MATCHUP: Giants LH Madison Bumgarner (18-9, 2.91 ERA) vs. Diamondbacks LH Andrew Chafin (0-0, 0.00)

Bumgarner tossed seven shutout innings and reached 200 strikeouts for the first time in his career in Friday’s 9-0 victory over the Dodgers. “He’s been our lead horse all year, no doubt about it,” Giants pitcher Tim Lincecum told the Los Angeles Times. Jordan Pacheco is 9-for-26 with a home run against Bumgarner, who owns a 6-4 record and 2.68 ERA in 17 career games (16 starts) against Arizona.

Chafin is making his second career start in place of Randall Delgado, who has been moved to the bullpen for the rest of the season. The Ohio native tossed five shutout innings in his major league debut against Cleveland on Aug. 13 before returning to Triple-A Reno. Chafin, who was selected by the Diamondbacks in the first round of the 2011 draft, was 9-7 with a 4.08 ERA in 26 minor-league games (25 starts) this season.

WALK-OFFS

1. San Francisco has won eight of the last 10 meetings.

2. Arizona’s starting pitchers have allowed three runs or fewer in 17 of their last 19 starts.

3. The Giants are 58-23 when recording at least one home run.

PREDICTION: Giants 6, Diamondbacks 2