Diamondbacks at Giants
Offense has been in short supply lately for the San Francisco Giants, who will attempt to end a six-game losing streak Thursday when they host the Arizona Diamondbacks in the opener of a four-game series. The Giants totaled 16 runs while taking two of three in their season-opening series against Arizona, but have scored 10 – and no more than two in six of the seven games – since while matching their longest skid in April since 2009.
San Francisco is 3-for-38 with runners in scoring position during its
slide and mercifully ended a stretch of 19 at-bats in such situations on
a first-inning RBI single from Angel Pagan in Wednesday’s 4-2 loss to
Colorado. The Giants may not need much offense in Thursday’s opener,
however, if starting pitcher Madison Bumgarner can recapture the same
magic in his home debut that he enjoyed when he last took the mound at
AT&T Park – a four-hit shutout in Game 5 of the World Series. The
Diamondbacks are coming off a series loss at San Diego and have dropped
three of four after winning three of their previous four. Arizona third
baseman Jake Lamb starred in the season-opening series between these two
squads, accounting for all seven of his RBIs this season in the first
two games.
TV: 10:15 p.m. ET, FSN Arizona, CSN Bay Area (San Francisco)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Diamondbacks RH Archie Bradley (1-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. Giants LH Madison Bumgarner (1-1, 5.40)
Bradley
lived up to his top-prospect status in his major-league debut Saturday, outdueling three-time Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw in
a 6-0 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers. The No. 7 overall pick of the
2011 draft threw 112 pitches, yielding one hit and walking four while
fanning six over six frames. Bradley went 29-19 with a 3.14 ERA in 73
minor-league appearances (72 starts), striking out 393 over 373 innings.
Following
a spectacular season debut in a win at Arizona, Bumgarner was rocked
for five runs and 10 hits in only three innings en route to a 10-2 road
setback in San Diego. The outing was his shortest since the reigning
World Series MVP recorded only one out during a disastrous start against
Minnesota in June 2011. Bumgarner has been much better versus the
Diamondbacks, however, as the team has won his last six starts against
them while he has compiled a 3-0 record and 1.69 ERA.
WALK-OFFS
1. Diamondbacks 1B Paul Goldschmidt recorded his 500th career hit in Wednesday’s loss on a first-inning two-run homer.
2. The Giants have dropped their first three games at home for the first time since a 0-6 start in 2000.
3. Arizona OF Yasmany Tomas made his major-league debut Wednesday, but grounded out as a pinch hitter in his only at-bat.