Giants Waste Cain's Solid Outing, Fall 3-2 To Dodgers

It was labeled as a must win game for the Los Angeles Dodgers, and they lived up to the pressure, winning 3-2, and taking a game back in the National league west.

The highly hyped game was your classic west coast contest. Pitching, defense, a little more pitching, and timely hits secured the win for the Dodgers. Matt Cain and Chris Capuano matched each other pitch for pitch, out for out, yet neither factored into the decision, as Ronald Belisario earned his fifth win of the season for Los Angeles.

Cain was on cruise control through the first five innings. He yielded the Dodgers to just two hits over that span, and his pitch count remained low. The Dodgers, however, evened the game at one in the sixth inning. Ironically, Chris Capuano sparked the one out rally with a single. Mark Ellis followed him with a single, and Shane Victorino hit a sacrifice fly to deep centerfield which was easily deep enough to score Capuano from third.

Capuano was steady all afternoon. The southpaw allowed just five hits and walked three. He instantly settled down after surrendering three hits and a run in the first, yielding the Giants’ bats to just one hit until the seventh inning where he saw Brandon Belt break the tie game with a hard liner back to the mound that scored Buster Posey from third.

The back and forth duel continued when the Dodgers battled back in the eighth frame.

 Juan Rivera led the inning off with a double down the right field line. The catcher, A.J. Ellis moved him over with a sacrifice bunt back to the mound. The biggest play in this entire sequence though, came from the dugout. The skipper Don Mattingly elected to pinch run Rivera for the speedy Alex Castellanos when Rivera reached third base. It would paid dividends just a few pitches later when Cain threw a wild pitch that skipped away from the catcher, and Castellanos slid across the plate to beat the toss from Posey by inches. In all likelihood, the slow footed Rivera wouldn’t have scored the tying run.

It turned into a bullpen battle in the eighth when Capuano was lifted for Belisario. Despite walking two, Belisario retired the Giants unscathed. His essence to shut the Giants down was pivotal, as the meat of the Dodgers lineup was due up in the ninth with a chance to break the tie.

Jeremy Affeldt replaced Casilla in the ninth, and he dug himself into a deep hole early when he allowed a leadoff triple to Adrian Gonzalez. Hanley Ramirez, who had eight RBIs against the Giants in nine games in a Dodgers’ uniform coming into the game, cashed in for his ninth RBI off them with an RBI double. Ramirez’s clutch hit proved to be the difference in the close game.

Matt Cain was strong, but he received minimal run support. Sound familiar? He pitched 7.1 innings, permitted just two runs, and struck out five.

Jake Dal Porto Covers the Giants for The World Of Bay Area Sports

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Cain Looks To Pad N.L West Lead Against Dodgers: What to Watch For, Lineups

The Giants bumped their lead in the National League West to 5.5 games last night after prevailing 5-3 behind Marco Scutaro’s two-run single. The Giants look to extend that hefty lead today with Matt Cain on the mound.

Cain surrendered five runs to the Cubs nearly a week ago. He will oppose Chris Capuano who allowed two big home runs to the Diamondbacks in a 5-4 loss in his last start.

Andre Ethier.... Adrian Gonzalez.....

Ethier comes into Saturday’s game with a .472 (25-53) batting average off Matt Cain. And the sample size isn’t tiny either. However, none of those 25 hits have resulted in home runs, and only three are extra base hits. Gonzalez, though, is hitting .321 (18-56) off Cain, with four home runs and 13 RBIs. Nine of his 18 hits off Cain are have been for extra bases.

Angel Pagan Is Hotter Than the Sun

OK, maybe I’m over-exaggerating, but the above statement isn’t far from the truth. The Giants’ center fielder is hitting .341 over the past 20 games. Not to mention that he has scored 22 runs, collected nine doubles, three triples, and one home run during that span as well. Pagan is 2-7 off Chris Capuano lifetime.

Cain Back Home

Cain should receive a warm welcoming when he trots out to the mound in the first inning considering that he hasn’t made a home start since August 11th. During his four road starts since the 11th, he posted a 2.96 ERA, and went 4-0. However, home should be a welcoming site for Cain, who boasts a stellar 2.24 ERA in his friendly confines. The Dodgers though, won’t be quite as welcoming. Despite finding success against them this season (14IP 2.57 ERA), his career stats aren’t as respectable (4-8, 3.45 ERA).

Beating Up The N.L West

In their last 16 games against N.L West foes, the Giants have won 12 of them. That trend should seemingly work in their favor, as their 24 remaining games are against N.L West teams.

Kemp Out

There’s not much to say here. Details of why Kemp is out of today’s lineup are unavailable, but my best guess is that his hamstring in tightening up again.

Lineups

Giants

1. Angel Pagan (S) CF
2. Marco Scutaro (R) 2B
3. Pablo Sandoval (S) 3B
4. Buster Posey (R) C
5. Hunter Pence (R) RF
6. Joaquin Arias (R) SS
7. Brandon Belt (L) 1B
8. Gregor Blanco (L) LF
9. Matt Cain (R) P

Dodgers

1. Mark Ellis (R) 2B
2. Shane Victorino (S) CF
3. Adrian Gonzalez (L) 1B
4. Hanley Ramirez (R) SS
5. Andre Ethier (L) RF
6. Luis Cruz (R) 3B
7. Juan Rivera (R) LF
8. A.J. Ellis (R) C
9. Chris Capuano (L) P

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Giants Build On NL West Lead With Huge Win Over Dodgers

Marco Scutaro has had some big hits over his long career. And his hit tonight will rank as one of his biggest hits ever.

Scutaro had a go-ahead two-run single in the seventh inning, Tim Lincecum pitched 6 1/3 solid innings and the Giants beat the Dodgers 5-2 in the opener of a three-game series between the two teams.

Adam Kennedy homered for the Dodgers, who are now 5.5 games behind the Giants. Lincecum walked seven batters (one in every inning), but he pitched well and had great fastball command. He located his fastball inside, and kept Adrian Gonzalez, Matt Kemp and others off-balance all night.

Lincecum didn't get the win, but Santiago Casilla did. Casilla came into a one-out, two on jam, but he got Matt Kemp to ground out and he fanned Hanley Ramirez with a great pitch. Jeremy Affeldt and Sergio Romo pitched well to end the game, and Romo got his 10th save of the year by pitching 1.1 scoreless innings.

Matt Cain (13-5, 2.98 ERA) takes the ball for San Francisco tomorrow, while Chris Capuano (11-10, 3.63 ERA) pitches for the Dodgers.

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Lincecum, Giants Look to Pad N.L West Lead Against Dodgers: Preview, Lineups

With the N.L West on the line, the Giants will start a pivotal weekend series against the Dodgers tonight. Tim Lincecum will get the ball in game one.

Lincecum pitched 6.1 innings against the Cubs in his last start on Saturday, allowing just two runs. In 17.2 innings this year, Lincecum owns a 2.55 ERA off the rival Dodgers.

Lincecum's counterpart will be Josh Beckett who was acquired in a trade from Boston in late August. Beckett yielded the Diamondbacks to just one run over 6.2 innings in his first home start in the Dodger blue.

Note(s)

- The Giants called up pitcher Yusmeiro Petit today as an extra arm in the bullpen.

- Xavier Nady's status remains questionable after suffering a left hamstring strain on Wednesday
night.

- Brandon Belt will make his first start in left field tonight.

Lineups

Dodgers
1. Mark Ellis (R) 2B
2. Shane Victorino (S) LF
3. Adrian Gonzalez (L) 1B
4. Matt Kemp (R) CF
5. Hanley Ramirez (R) SS
6. Andre Ethier (L) RF
7. Adam Kennedy (L) 3B
8. A.J. Ellis (R) C
9. Josh Beckett (R) P
   
Giants   
1. Angel Pagan (S) CF
2. Marco Scutaro (R) 2B
3. Pablo Sandoval (S) 3B
4. Buster Posey (R) 1B
5. Hunter Pence (R) RF
6. Brandon Belt (L) LF
7. Hector Sanchez (S) C
8. Brandon Crawford (L) SS
9. Tim Lincecum (L) P

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Giants' Starting Pitching Now A Major Concern?

Usually, the starting pitching takes the backseat on the list of concerns for the Giants. Now, it has taken the very front seat, and the Giants’ bread and butter is no longer a guarantee anymore. Due to this, the bullpen has had to take on a bigger role, and signs of fatigue are occurring.

Even with the likes of Matt Cain, Madison Bumgarner, and Ryan Vogelsong all getting their starts, the starters have pitched just 36 innings over the last seven days. Generally, that number would near 50. But nothing has been general lately as no Giants’ starter has pitched more than seven innings since last Tuesday. Matt Cain pitched 7.1 innings against the Astros, and that has been all.

On the bright side, the bullpen hasn’t collapsed in this time of over usage. They have totaled a 2.79 ERA over the past seven days, but note that all of their relievers have combined to pitch 29 innings. That’s only seven less than the starters. In comparison, the Rockies’ bullpen ranks second in baseball with 27.2 innings pitched, and they don’t let their starters surpass the 75 pitch plateau, while the Giants don’t put any restrictions on their starters.  Any time a team is mentioned with the Rockies, the likelihood of it being positive is very slim. The case is no different in this situation.

However, the September roster expansions will provide manager Bruce Bochy with a few more alternatives should this dreadful streak continue. Those alternatives, though, aren’t nearly as reliable as say Sergio Romo or Javier Lopez. Jean Machi, the 30 year-old career minor leaguer, owns a 10.80 ERA in his first three appearances since being called up. Dan Otero has pitched two scoreless innings since getting a promotion. Granted, his ERA still isn’t respectable at 6.97, but he has smoothed out the flaws in his motion. But none of the call ups can undertake such a massive role. And using such a strategy wouldn’t be wise on the Giants part.

Unfortunately, Bruce Bochy has had no other choice but to empty his bullpen. He tied a major league record on Tuesday night against Arizona when he used 11 pitchers in an 8-6 loss. Simply, the over usage falls on the starters’ shoulders.

The always consistent Ryan Vogelsong has only logged 9.1 innings in his last two starts  and during that span he has posted an inflated 9.64 ERA. Madison Bumgarner has a 6.48 ERA in his last three starts. Tim Lincecum has only pitched seven innings once since August 5th, and the inconsistent Barry Zito owns a 6.56 ERA in his last seven starts.

The problem?

Big innings. Usually that problem only implies to Lincecum, but now that issue has seemed to catch on with the rest of the staff. Big innings can also mean high pitch count innings where the starter has to use 25+ pitches to get the three outs and multiple runs come across the plate to score.

 It may be hard to believe, but the Giants’ starters might be throwing too many strikes. Bumgarner has had this problem before, Ryan Vogelsong tends to over rely on his fastball as opposed to Barry Zito and Tim Lincecum who walk batters to put runners on the base paths. Matt Cain, meanwhile, tends to fall in the latter category when he does struggle.

But the point is that opposing hitters know that Giants’ pitchers like to throw strikes. It’s not such a bad thing, but it’s not a great trend to follow either.

If the Giants want to hang on to their 4.5 game lead in the N.L West, their starting pitching must improve. It’s what the organization has prided themselves on for the past few years, and that can’t change given their inconsistent offense.

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Nady Injures Hamstring In Loss Wednesday Night

According to a report, Xavier Nady injured his left hamstring chasing a ball in left field. He'll have an MRI today to gauge the severity of the injury, but according to the same report, it wouldn't be a longshot to see him miss multiple games.

According to CSN Bay Area, the Giants are going to get "creative" if Nady is out for a prolonged time. Brandon Belt could possibly be an option now which wasn't the case a couple of weeks ago when Bruce Bochy ruled that possibility out.

Gregor Blanco has struggled since Melky Cabrera was suspended, hitting just .244/.320/.267. He doesn't seem to be a suitable option in left field at the moment given his struggles. This also opens the door for Ryan Theriot or Joaquin Arias to secure the left field role. Theriot has taken fly balls before games lately, along with Arias.

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Cahill Silences Giants' Bats in 6-2 Loss

The Giants fell behind early, and didn't have another comeback in them to pull even, falling 6-2.

Madison Bumgarner allowed four runs over 6.1 innings. With Bumgarner only going six, a Giants' starting pitcher has not pitched at least seven innings since last Tuesday.

Arizona got to Bumgarner early. Miguel Montero singled home a run in the first inning. John McDonald collected an RBI in the fourth inning. And what ultimately pulled Bumgarner from the game was Aaron Hill's RBI double in the fifth inning. Jean Machi wasn't able to stop the bleeding either.

Machi inherited Bumgarner's fourth earned run, and also allowed a run charged to himself on Paul Goldschmidt's RBI single.

The Giants looked to be on the verge of coming back again in the seventh. Brandon Belt drove two home with an RBI single in the seventh frame, but Ryan Theriot grounded into a double play to put the comeback to sleep.

Bumgarner has now allowed eight runs in his last 10.1 innings, and he hasn't won a game since August 20th.

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Giants Send Bumgarner To the Mound In Series Finale

After a crushing defeat in extra innings last night, the Giants will try to rebound against the Diamondbacks with Madison Bumgarner on the mound.

Bumgarner, who gave up four runs in four innings against the Cubs on Friday, looks to snap a string of bad starts by Giants' starting pitchers. This string of dreadful starts began a week ago in Houston. Since, Giants' starters have amassed a 7.88 ERA, and no pitcher during that stretch has gone more than 6.1 innings.

The Diamondbacks will send Trevor Cahill to the bump. The former Athletic is 9-11 with a 4.02 ERA this season.

Lineups

Diamondbacks

1. Adam Eaton (L) CF
2. Aaron Hill (R) 2B
3. Justin Upton (R) RF
4. Paul Goldschmidt (R) 1B
5. Miguel Montero (L) C
6. Chris Johnson (R) 3B
7. Gerardo Parra (L) LF
8. John McDonald (R) SS
9. Trevor Cahill (R) P

Giants

1. Angel Pagan (S) CF
2. Marco Scutaro (R) 2B
3. Pablo Sandoval (S) 3B
4. Buster Posey (R) C
5. Hunter Pence (R) RF
6. Brandon Belt (L) 1B
7. Xavier Nady (R) LF
8. Brandon Crawford (L) SS
9. Madison Bumgarner (R) P

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SF Giants: Why This Giants' Team Is Better Than the 2010 Team

In 2010, a team with Aubrey Huff and Pat Burrell in the middle of the order won the World Series.

Now, in 2012, that same team has Buster Posey, Pablo Sandoval and Hunter Pence in the middle of the order. Oh, and they've got some pretty good pitching too.

San Francisco managed to win the World Series in 2010 despite a lack of offense and experience. Edgar Renteria hit a three-run home run in Game 5 of the World Series to power the Giants to their first championship since moving to San Francisco.

And now, that same team is trying to do it again.

During the first half of the season, the Giants had lots of trouble on offense and bringing in runners in scoring position. However, after the All-Star break, San Francisco leads the league in batting average with runners in scoring position.

And, thanks to Buster Posey, Hunter Pence, Pablo Sandoval, Marco Scutaro, Angel Pagan and others, the Giants are in the top half of the league in runs scored.

Ryan Vogelsong has been struggling, as his ERA has shot up by more than a run in just five starts (from 2.27 to 3.29). Madison Bumgarner's last two starts have been poor, and Tim Lincecum has a 5.21 ERA. Oh, and Barry Zito hasn't been too sharp lately.

Vogelsong got a good amount of luck early in the year, as he had great stats despite his inability to miss bats. However, he is in a funk now, and he's allowing a lot of home runs. Vogelsong has thrown a lot of pitches, and he hasn't been able to slam the door with runners on base.

Zito may not be earning a 126-million dollar contract, but he's been pitching well. Zito has a 10-8 record and a 4.51 ERA, and San Francisco is 16-11 when he pitches (although Zito has benefitted from some run support).However, the Giants still have a great pitching staff.

Madison Bumgarner has kept his ERA around 3.00 for the whole season, and Matt Cain has a sub-3.00 ERA and a perfect game. Lincecum has an ERA around 3.00 and a winning record since the All-Star break, and Barry Zito has great stats for a No. 5 pitcher.

Zito may not be earning a 126-million dollar contract, but he's been pitching well. Zito has a 10-8 record and a 4.51 ERA, and San Francisco is 16-11 when he pitches (although Zito has benefitted from some run support).

Even though the Giants have received some poor outings from starters, they've still won 11 of their last 14 games. Clutch and timely hitting, unexpected contributions and good management has aided the Giants, who lead the Dodgers by 4.5 games for first place in the NL West.

Marco Scutaro, who was acquired in a midseason trade with the Rockies, is hitting .288 and has been a great on-base guy and run-scorer. He had a walk-off hit Monday against the D-Backs, and Scutaro has 24 RBI since joining the Giants.

Angel Pagan has also been great in the top of the order, and he and Scutaro have formed a formidable 1-2 punch. Pagan's batting average climbed above .290, and while it is back under .290 now, he's still been hitting very well.

Posey has hit about .400 since the All-Star break, driving in key runs left and right. He has been key to San Francisco's success, as his WAR (wins above replacement) is higher than 5. Posey has knocked in a lot of runs and made some nice plays on defense as well.

Overall, the Giants have a great team. Buster Posey, Madison Bumgarner, Pablo Sandoval, Matt Cain and others are better than they were in 2010. Angel Pagan, Hunter Pence and Marco Scutaro were great pickups, and Brandon Belt and Joaquin Arias have been great too. San Francisco has lots of offensive and pitching talent, and they've been using that to their advantage.

And, while the road to a championship will be harder than it was in 2010, this Giants team is better than the 2010 team. What does that mean?

The Giants can most definitely win the World Series this year.

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Why Buster Posey Should Win the 2012 National League MVP

This post was first published by Elijah Abramson on basesandbaskets.com. He has generously given us permission to publish his articles.

Buster Posey’s return from a horrendous season-ending injury last season has been nothing short of sensational. The collision at home plate with Marlins outfielder Scott Cousins drained any hopes the San Francisco Giants had of defending their 2010 World Series championship. One play put the opportunity for the Giants to even make the playoffs well out of reach.

Concerns arose as to whether Posey could even return to baseball the same player. (Cousins has not been the same sinceeither, having grown up dreaming to play for Giants.) He was the rookie catcher who put down the fingers for the best pitching rotation in baseball—and the champions. The future of the Giants was dangling in the wings of a kid who was not even 25 years old at the time but the catcher has battled as the organization and fans expected he would.

Fast forward to today and Buster Posey is at worst the second favorite National League Most Valuable Player candidate behind Pittsburgh Pirates phenom Andrew McCutchen.

McCutchen has put together an MVP-caliber season for the Pirates. McCutchen’s 24 home runs and 80 RBIs are impressive. Even though Giants star Melky Cabrera still has a shot at the batting title, McCutchen is currently leading the league in average (.344) and runs (91) .

But Buster Posey’s numbers stack up very well against the Pittsburgh outfielder. First, his average is a solid .329. And playing half of his games at the pitcher’s friendly AT&T Park while managing 19 home runs and 83 RBIs is at least as good as McCutchen’s numbers.  Don’t forget that Posey has been absolutely tearing it up of late. In the month of June, he hit .381. Last month he probably cooled off a bit, right? Well yes, if you consider .371 a drop to mediocrity.

Posey and McCutchen are very even statistically, and the final stretch of games could determine the fate of the MVP trophy. But if they are as (or more) even than they currently are, the MVP trophy will be in the hands of the first San Francisco Giant since none other than Barry Bonds. Why?

For one, it is the rare occasion that an MVP award is given to a player whose team does not make the playoffs. Barry Bonds’ 2004 season and Larry Walker’s 1997 season are two prime examples and both had absolutely incredible seasons. McCutchen is not on that level and not far and away the better player.

Contrastingly, Posey has propelled the Giants into playoff contention. Although he had some help from Melky Cabrera up until the suspension, Posey is the threat in the middle of the order that helps the Giants put runs on the board—something they have perennially struggled to do. Combine that with his scorching hitting of late and sportswriters will remember that Posey was a difference maker in a postseason run and McCutchen on a Pirates team that was in a division with two better teams than them.

Nobody has forgotten the extreme odds Posey was facing this season. The Giants were hoping for more than a mere shadow of their catcher who had fallen to injury in 2011 and got an MVP candidate.

In the end, the award is for most valuable player. The Giants won the World Series with Posey, failed to make the playoffs without him, and are on their way back to October baseball because of him.

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Giants Fall to D-Backs in Extras, 8-6

Comebacks don’t always result in a win, and that’s how it went for the Giants on Tuesday night as they lost 8-6 in extra innings.

 The Giants took an early lead on Pablo Sandoval’s RBI ground out, but that small edge was erased in the second inning as Ian Kennedy drove in the Diamondbacks first run of the game. It was Kennedy’s fourth hit of the season.

Ryan Vogelsong struggled to retire the scrappy Diamondback hitters. He surrendered six runs over 3.1 innings. A three-run third inning by the Diamondbacks put the Giants in a big hole early.

Paul Goldschmidt doubled in Aaron Hill to start the rally. Two batters later, John McDonald blooped a two-run single into right field to extend Arizona’s lead to three. McDonald was tagged out trying to advanced to second on the play.

The Giants started their climb back in the home half of the third. Brandon Crawford singled and advanced to second on Ryan Vogelsong’s sacrifice bunt. The hottest man on the plant in Marco Scutaro delivered a two-out double to plate Crawford, making the score 4-2.

Arizona wasn’t done with Vogelsong, though. Adam Eaton collected his first big league hit in the fourth inning, a double. And Aaron Hill followed with a two-run homer to put Vogelsong’s night in the books. The right-hander was summoned for Dan Otero, who retired the next two hitters to end the threat.

The sixth inning was when the Giants started to show some life. Hunter Pence drove in a run with a double down the left field line, and Brandon Belt followed with his first home run off a right-hander this season, a two-run shot that pulled the Giants within one.

The Giants completed their comeback in the seventh as Sandoval singled home Angel Pagan to tie the game at six.

The game went into the 11th. With the seagulls flying above, Arizona struck for two runs off George Kontos and Javier Lopez. Jason Kubel tripled over the head of Hunter Pence, and Miguel Montero dumped a bloop single into very shallow centerfield to score him from third.

Ryan Vogelsong’s ERA rose to 3.29 after giving up six runs on the night. He has now allowed 24 runs in his last 21.2 innings pitched.

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Giants, Vogelsong Look To Extend Winning Streak To 4: Preview, Lineups

The Giants and Diamondbacks put on a show yesterday, with an extra innings thriller, but what's in store for tonight's matchup between the two N.L West foes?

Ryan Vogelsong will take the ball for the Giants. He has struggled since August 13th, allowing exactly 18 runs in 18 innings during that span, which comes out to be a 9.00 ERA. The Giants will need Vogelsong to log some innings tonight, as their bullpen has been worked relentlessly of late.

Vogelsong's counterpart will be Ian Kennedy. After finishing top five in Cy Young voting just a year ago, he's come crashing back down to earth this season. His ERA checks in at 4.27, backed by his 12-11 record.

Roster Moves

RHP Dan Otero, LHP Dan Runzler recalled. Club purchased contract of E. Burriss, designated RHP Eric Hacker

Lineups

Giants

1. Angel Pagan (S) CF
2. Marco Scutaro (R) 2B
3. Pablo Sandoval (S) 3B
4. Buster Posey (R) C
5. Hunter Pence (R) RF
6. Brandon Belt (L) 1B
7. Gregor Blanco (L) LF
8. Brandon Crawford (L) SS
9. Ryan Vogelsong (R) P

Diamondbacks 

1. Adam Eaton (L) CF
2. Aaron Hill (R) 2B
3. Justin Upton (R) RF
4. Jason Kubel (L) LF
5. Paul Goldschmidt (R) 1B
6. Miguel Montero (L) C
7. Ryan Wheeler (L) 3B
8. John McDonald (R) SS
9. Ian Kennedy (R) P

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Scutaro's Walk Off Single Completes Comeback Win for Giants

Buster Posey tied the game in the home half of the ninth with an RBI double, and Marco Scutaro followed in his steps with a walk-off single in the tenth to put the final touches on an 9-8 win, marking the Giants fourth comeback win in the past seven days.

Brett Pill laid down a perfect sacrifice bunt following Brandon Crawford’s single to leadoff the inning. Angel Pagan rolled over to the first baseman which set the table for Scutaro.

Scutaro lined the game-winning hit past the diving Chris Johnson at third who was playing a tad bit in on the grass. It should be noted that Scutaro also contributed to the comeback in the ninth inning as well. He lead off the frame with a double and was moved over to third base on Pablo Sandoval’s ground out. One batter later, he scored on Buster Posey’s RBI double to even the score at eight.

The Giants’ 150th consecutive sellout crowd sticked around until the end. They were on their feet when Hector Sanchez was at the plate, but Sanchez struck out swinging on a pitch in the dirt to dampen the roaring crowd for just a tad longer.

The Giants provided their starter Barry Zito with plenty of support in the first inning. Posey smacked a soaring fly ball that sailed over the head of the right fielder Justin Upton to score Scutaro. Hunter Pence followed him by roping a two-run triple, and Sanchez’s infield hit capped off the four-run inning.

Zito constantly pounded the zone through four innings until Chris Johnson launched a two-run homer into the left field bleachers. Johnson’s home run was just the start of Arizona’s comeback, however.

Arizona tacked on two runs off Zito in the fifth, and three of Guillermo Mota to blow the game open. After the sixth inning concluded, the Diamondbacks were up 7-4.

Sandoval started the comeback with an RBI single in the seventh inning. Justin Upton answered with an RBI single of his own in the eighth inning.

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Are Injuries Hampering Sandoval's Power?

Pablo Sandoval is in a rut. The world must be ending, right? Because over his young five year career, the lovable “Panda” seemingly never falls into ruts in spite of his free swinging mentality. Well, Sandoval is in the midst of a rut which has included a broken hamate bone and a hamstring injury that often tightens up on him in the middle of games. With all of that said, his power is no where in sight.

It might not be gone for good, but he surely won’t be popping 25+ home runs per season, unless he tweaks his approach. And the likelihood of that happening is very, very small.

When Sandoval broke the hamate bone in his right hand, he missed over a month of action. It was like 2011 all over for Giants fans. But that wasn’t nearly the case as San Francisco rallied together and went 21-14 in his prolonged absence, large part due to Joaquin Arias’s exceptional play.

Sandoval proceeded to return in mid-June, and lasted 38 games before injuring his hamstring which ultimately put him back on the shelf. This time around, the Giants struggled without him, posting an 8-10 record. It became evident how valuable he was to a rather soft lineup.

The point is, Sandoval has yet to stabilize himself in the lineup. He’s never enjoyed a long period of games without having to nurse an injury. Believe it or not, weird trends affect a player’s performance. And bouncing from the DL to the lineup back to the DL is a weird trend for anyone, even Sandoval.

Maybe that explains his power outage. Seeing that he hasn’t hit a home run since July 8th which adds up to be a scattered 29 games, there is more than just one component in his power outage, however.  Alex Pavlovic of the San Jose Mercury News pointed out that Sandoval’s home run on July 8th was the last time a Giants’ corner infielder hit a homer. So the power slump is mutual between Brandon Belt and the “Panda”. Sandoval, though, has much higher expectations than Belt does.

 Assuming Sandoval keeps rolling at this woeful pace, ESPN projects him to finish the season with only ten home runs. That would be a career low by a pretty decent margin, but you also have to take into account that he’s on pace to finish the season with just 359 at-bats. That mark would be a career low too.

Sandoval has always been a relatively streaky home run hitter. In retrospect, he has never been a strictly “power” hitter. Manager Bruce Bochy stated that setbacks and wobbly timing are factors in his third baseman’s power outage.

“A couple of the setbacks he’s had with the DL has affected him. He’s streaky with that, too,” Bochy said. “His timing was off a little bit. Wasn’t staying behind the ball as he normally does.”

That makes sense considering the circumstances. But Sandoval is still going to struggle to consistently hit home runs because he’s naturally a free-swinger. 2012 has been nothing out of the ordinary in that regard.

On the other end of the spectrum, weight remains an issue for Sandoval. Before Saturday’s game against the Cubs, Bochy stated that he would like to see him drop a few pounds, but also noted that it would be hard to do so in the midst of a playoff race. For those of you who think that a little extra weight doesn’t hold a player down, you would be incorrect. Just look at what Sandoval experienced in 2010--- he barely touched the field during the playoffs because he was vastly overweight.

Simply, Sandoval’s power is certainly not gone for good. Once his nagging hamstring tightness fades, and all the minor injuries pass, a plunge in his power numbers wouldn’t be a surprise.

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Will September Be A Month To Remember for Tim Lincecum?

Few words can describe how bizarre Tim Lincecum’s 2012 season has been. The two-time Cy Young award winner has never had a good footing on his consistency this season and his stats paint a pretty accurate picture.

Despite being better since the All-Star break, his numbers still don’t match up with his legacy. He owns a 5.30 season ERA which has trickled down since being at 6.42 before the break. Granted, there have been several factors in his downfall, but there’s one particular variable in the equation that’s going to ultimately determine how well he does in September. That variable is limiting extremely high pitch counts.

Lincecum has always been a strikeout pitcher. He sports a career 9.2/9 strikeout rate and high strikeout numbers naturally entail relatively high pitch counts. Obviously, it takes a minimum of three pitches to record a strikeout, rarely is that the case though. But the best strikeout pitchers find a way to strikeout double-digit batters while still going deep into that specific game. Lincecum fell in that category for four seasons prior to this year.

In his last seven starts, he has thrown 20 plus pitches in the first inning three times. That number obviously isn’t taking into consideration his terrible first-half trends. But the point is, a taxing first frame dooms him of the opportunity to pitch deep into games. To make matters worse, the first inning is generally the worst inning for Lincecum as he has an 8.33 ERA in the game’s first three outs. In case you were wondering, that’s the worst mark amongst any inning

Lincecum isn’t the only one who pays for stressful first innings. The ultimate victim in the consistent chaos, is the bullpen. And the bullpen has been forced to clean up Lincecum’s mess on multiple occasions this year, as the “Freak” has pitched at least seven innings only eight times. In retrospect, he pitched at least seven innings in 19 out of his 33 starts last year.

 So given Lincecum’s lack-age of working more than just the bare minimum, the bullpen repeatedly gets taxed in result. Not only does a worn out ‘pen pressure the next day’s starter to eat up innings, but it’s just not a good trend to follow for future usage. Fortunately, the roster expansion will give skipper Bruce Bochy a bit more flexibility depth wise. However, that idea should only be used as a fall back plan considering that Brad Penny and Shane Loux aren’t the most dominant of relievers.

The Giants need Lincecum now more than ever. Yes, that has been said at practically every point in the season, but as we all know, September is the final month of the season. Which means stretch runs and lots and lots of drama for teams that are still in contention, and the Giants will presumably be one of those teams.

When the calendar flipped from August to September in 2010, Lincecum, himself, flipped from atrocious to Cy Young form. And no, that’s not an exaggeration by any means.

In 2010, he totaled a 7.82 ERA during August. He rebounded with a 1.94 ERA in September, including a 5-1 record, and in the end, carried the Giants to the World Series.

Does he follow a similar script in 2012?

Time will only tell.

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2-Run 9th Inning Fuels Giants To 7-5 Victory Over the Cubs

Matt Cain was surprisingly uncharacteristic, but the Giants came back from a 5-3 deficit in the later innings to prevail 7-5. Not only did they win, but they completed a very successful road trip, posting a 5-1 record on trips to Houston and the windy city. That marks the second consecutive time that they had a 5-1 road trip, with the other occasion being against the Padres and Dodgers.

[BOX SCORE]

Cain is generally one to feast on the Cubs. He had a 20 inning scoreless streak at Wrigley Field coming into the game, but that streak was snapped in the bottom of the third inning when David DeJesus singled home Darwin Barney.

Run support is also wary when Cain is on the mound. But the Giants’ surging offense backed their pitcher early with three-third inning runs. Xavier Nady reached base by the way of the walk to begin the explosion. Angel Pagan drove him in with an RBI single. Then, the Giants started some two out thunder as Pablo Sandoval and Buster Posey each drove in a run. Those runs came after Anthony Rizzo casually picked up what was supposed to be a sacrifice bunt, and threw wide to first base, allowing Cain to reach.

DeJesus continued his success against Cain in the fifth with a one out single that Hunter Pence bobbled in right field, allowing Barney to score for the second time in the game. The Cubs would work some two out magic of their own.

Cain laid a fastball right out over the plate to slugger Alfonso Soriano, and even with the wind blowing in, the ball soared into the bleachers. Cain knew it right away, as he slammed his glove on the ground immediately following the mistake. And just like that, the Cubs took the lead, 5-3 on Soriano’s three-run jack.

At home, a comeback would seem far-fetched, but the Giants have played much differently on the road this season. They instantly fired back with a two-run inning. Brandon Belt tripled with two outs on a slicing line drive that Soriano was unable to coral in, scoring Nady who reached base four times on the day. Then, Belt proceeded home on a wild pitch from Manny Corpas to even the score at five.

In the ninth, Nady reached base for the fourth time and Gregor Blanco was put in to pinch-run for him. Blanco created plenty of havoc and ultimately scored the go-ahead run on a Pagan RBI single. Marco Scutaro padded their lead with an RBI single of his own to score Crawford.

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Cain Looks to Win Rubber Match of The Series: Preview, Notes, Lineup

Matt Cain will take the ball for the Giants in hopes of earning a series victory against the Cubs and ultimately capping off a very successful road trip. A win today is needed, however, considering that the Astros and Cubs are two of the National League’s worst ball clubs.

Cain earned a no-decision is his last start on the first game of the road trip. He pitched 7.1 innings, but coughed up a run in the eighth inning on a wild pitch to vanquish his chances of a win. The Giants did, however, comeback to win, 3-2.

Back on June 2nd, Cain pitched eight innings of one-run ball against Chicago, with the lone blemish being a solo home run off the bat of David DeJesus.

Cain will be opposed by southpaw Travis Wood. Wood sports a 4-11 record this season, along with a 4.71 ERA. Despite pitching seven innings of two-run ball in his last start against the Brewers, he picked up the loss.

Wood faced the Giants during that same four-game series that Cain pitched in. He was stellar as well, yielding the Giants to just one run over seven strong innings. Ironically, bad luck factored into the decision again, as he got the loss due to a lack of run support.

--- The Giants are 5-1 against the Cubs this year.

--- If Matt Cain earns the win, he will tie his single-season record for most wins in a season with 14.

--- Pablo Sandoval has not hit a home run since July 8th (29 games).

Lineups:

Cubs

1. David DeJesus (L) RF
2. Luis Valbuena (L) 3B
3. Anthony Rizzo (L) 1B
4. Alfonso Soriano (R) LF
5. Starlin Castro (R) SS
6. Steve Clevenger (L) C
7. Brett Jackson (L) CF
8. Darwin Barney (R) 2B
Travis Wood (R) P

Giants

1. Angel Pagan (S) CF
2. Marco Scutaro (R) 2B
3. Pablo Sandoval (S) 3B
4. Buster Posey (R) C
5. Hunter Pence (R) RF
6. Joaquin Arias (R) SS
7. Xavier Nady (R) LF
8. Brett Pill (R) 1B
9. Matt Cain (R) P

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Nady Delivers as Giants Defeat Cubs 5-2

If there was ever a day for the Giants to call up Xavier Nady from Triple A Fresno, this was it.

Nady made all the difference in the Giants' 5-2 win against the Cubs at Wrigley Field this afternoon, delivering a huge bases clearing double with two outs in the first inning to put San Francisco up 4-0 at the time.

It was a classic two-out rally for the Giants in the top of the first. After Angel Pagan and Marco Scutaro made two quick outs, Pablo Sandoval and Buster Posey both singled and Hunter Pence walked to load the bases. Hector Sanchez was hit by a pitch to force in a run, then Nady delivered a bases clearing double in his first at bat as a Giant.

Tim Lincecum pitched well enough for a victory, giving up a two-run shot to David DeJesus, but limited the Cubs to just four hits in six and a third innings.

Justin Germano allowed all five runs for the Cubs on six hits.

The Giants' bullpen was effective in relief of Lincecum, allowing just one hit in the final three and 2/3 innings.

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Giants Call Up Nady, Start Him in Left vs. Cubs: Preview. Lineups

The Giants will look to even up the series today as they take on the Cubs from Wrigley Field.

Tim Lincecum (7-14, 5.30) will look to shut down Chicago, who will send Justin Germano (2-4, 5.91 ERA) to the mound.

Lincecum was fairly mediocre against Braves in his last start, allowing three runs in five innings. Germano has struggled lately as well, losing back-to-back games to the Milwaukee Brewers while giving up 12 runs in 9 and 2/3 innings.

Roster Moves

The Giants called up outfielder/first baseman Xavier Nady from Triple A Fresno this morning. He hit .270 with six home runs in 25 games with the Fresno Grizzlies. 

Nady hit .157 with three home runs in forty games with the Washington Nationals before he was released earlier this year.

Nady will hit seventh in the Giants lineup today, playing left field.

Lineup - Giants vs. Cubs, 10:05 AM

Pagan CF,

Scutaro 2B

Sandoval 3B

Posey 1B

Pence RF

Sanchez C 

Nady LF

Crawford SS

Lincecum P

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Giants Expected To Add Players to the Roster

It's the time of year when teams can expand their rosters to 40 from 25. The Giants aren't expected to use all of the surplus roster spots, but you can expect them to make a few moves to bolster the depth of their current rosters.

So far, the notables appear to be Aubrey Huff, Xavier Nady, and Brad Penny. Others will also be promoted, but as for Gary Brown's status, a call-up seems unlikely. In fact, he injured his should last night (Thursday), and manager Bruce Bochy has stated multiple times before that he doesn't seem him getting a September call-up.

-Barring a move to acquire an extra outfield bat tonight (unlikely), Nady would presumably receive a good amount of starts in left field for the Giants, as the combination of Gregor Blanco, Justin Christian, and Carlos Peguero have failed to provide any consistency from that spot.

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