Giants at Padres
The San Francisco Giants will not go quietly. The defending World Series champions hope to build on their modest two-game winning streak Saturday when they face the fading San Diego Padres, who have lost 17 of their last 20 games to fall a season-high 12 games below .500. San Francisco sits 6 1/2 games behind first-place Arizona in the National League West, but they matched a season high with 17 hits in Friday’s series-opening 10-1 rout.
The Padres, who activated first baseman Yonder Alonso and second baseman Jedd Gyorko before Friday’s contest, have averaged 3.2 runs over their last 24 games. The Giants have had many of the same offensive issues in recent weeks, causing the team to sign outfielder Jeff Francoeur to a minor-league deal Tuesday. Francoeur is expected to be promoted from Triple-A Fresno on Saturday and platoon in left field with Kensuke Tanaka.
TV: 10:10 p.m. ET, NBC-Bay Area, FSN San Diego
PITCHING MATCHUP: Giants RH Tim Lincecum (4-9, 4.61 ERA) vs. Padres RH Edinson Volquez (6-7, 5.33)
Lincecum has seven quality starts out of 18 outings, but has shown signs of improvement over the past month. He had a season-high 11 strikeouts against the Mets on Monday when he allowed three runs over seven innings. The 29-year-old is 11-6 with a 2.34 ERA in 24 career starts against the Padres, including 1-1 with a 1.32 ERA in two starts this season.
Volquez has gone 2-2 with a 3.34 ERA in six starts since June 12, but is still battling control issues. The 30-year-old, who has 64 strikeouts in his last 11 starts, has walked 50 batters in 104 2/3 innings. He is 2-1 with a 5.05 ERA in eight career starts against the Giants, including a 4.09 ERA with no record in two starts this season.
WALK-OFFS
1. Giants RHP Santiago Casilla (knee) is expected to be activated from the disabled list before Saturday’s game.
2. Padres RF Chris Denorfia is a career .340 hitter in 50 games against San Francisco.
3. The Giants are 33-11 when they score at least four runs.