Diamondbacks at Giants
With Melky Cabrera leading the way, the San Francisco Giants have won 12 of their last 18 games to move 5 1/2 games behind the first-place Los Angeles Dodgers. San Francisco is seeking a three-game sweep of the Arizona Diamondbacks, who have lost four straight to the Giants. In San Francisco's 3-1 win on Tuesday, Cabrera stayed hot with three more hits. With 50 hits in May, he is one short of the San Francisco record for hits in any month, set by Randy Winn in September 2005.
Arizona is hoping to stay in the race while waiting for the left side of their infield to come together. Shortstop Stephen Drew (ankle) is closing in on a rehab assignment, and the Diamondbacks are platooning Willie Bloomquist and John McDonald until he returns. At third base, Josh Bell was expected to replace struggling Ryan Roberts in the lineup, but he’s started only three of the last seven games. Bell, who singled in a run Tuesday, is hitting just .176 since being promoted from the minors last week.
TV: 10:15 p.m. ET, FS Arizona, CS Bay Area (San Francisco)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Diamondbacks RH Ian Kennedy (3-5, 4.65 ERA) vs. Giants RH Tim Lincecum (2-5, 6.41)
Kennedy is looking to snap a career-high five-game losing streak, during which he's allowed 20 earned runs in 30 innings (6.00 ERA). He's 4-0 with a 2.60 ERA in his last four starts against the Giants and 2-1 with a 2.12 ERA at AT&T Park. Opponents are batting .283 against Kennedy compared to .227 last season, when he won 21 games. He allowed four runs in 5 2/3 innings Friday against the Brewers.
Seemingly everyone knows how to fix Lincecum, who has allowed at least three runs in five straight games without earning a win. Even Barry Bonds piped in after the two-time Cy Young Award winner gave up six runs in less than six innings at Miami on Friday. Arizona tagged him for five runs in 5 1/3 innings on Opening Day.
WALK-OFFS
1. The Giants, who have not homered in their last eight home games, have a major league-low six homers in 24 home games.
2. Bloomquist was scratched from Tuesday’s game with soreness in his hamstrings, but is expected to be available for the series finale.
3. Diamondbacks prospect Trevor Bauer is 2-0 with 24 strikeouts and a 1.89 ERA in three starts for Triple-A Reno.