Lincecum Goes Seven Strong, as Giants Snap Their Five Game Losing Streak

Tim Lincecum pitched seven innings while striking out seven batters, leading the Giants to a 4-1 victory over the New York Mets. More importantly, he helped snap the their season-high, five game losing streak

Lincecum did something on Tuesday night that he hasn’t done all that often this season--- get out of jams.

His night didn’t start too well, though, as the scorching hot Scott Hairston singled and he would be driven home on a Justin Turner double off the facing of the wall in left field.

Lincecum would allow just two hits over the next three innings, and his offense scratched out a couple runs for him, thanks to a few hiccups by the reeling Mets.

After loading the bases on a Buster Posey single, Marco Scutaro double, and a Brandon Belt walk, Justin Christian hit a dribbler back to the mound where Matt Harvey fielded it, and underhanded it to the catcher to get the force out.

One down, no runs, yet.

But if it weren’t for a throwing error by shortstop Ruban Tejada, Harvey would’ve gotten out of the second inning unscathed, but that wasn’t the case, as Tejada’s throw sailed over the first baseman Ike Davis’s head allowing Scutaro to trot across the plate with ease.

Brandon Belt also steamed around third to score from second base. The Giants were up  2-1 at that point, and Lincecum settled in nicely.

He breezed his through a David Wright-less lineup. Although, he did strikeout the Mets’ third baseman looking a sharp curveball to end a bases loaded threat in the seventh.

That key punch out came after he loaded the bases on a walk and two singles. He induced a screaming line drive to Ryan Theriot with one out.

David Wright was 3-19 off Lincecum coming into his pinch hit at-bat with 11 strikeouts, and Lincecum would notch that total to 3-20 with 12 strikeouts after he struck him out to end the seventh inning.

Marco Scutaro lined an RBI single to score Ryan Theriot in the eighth inning, and Jermey Affeldt shut the door in the ninth, after relieving Lincecum in the eighth.

What’s on Tap:

The Giants will continue their series against the Mets on Wednesday night. Matt Cain will oppose the Mets’ southpaw Jon Niese. And Hunter Pence is set to make his Giants debut after arriving after the game on Tuesday.

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