Giants at Rays
The National League West-leading San Francisco Giants look to stay hot when they begin a seven-game road trip with the first of three against the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday. Buster Posey went 8-for-12 with three RBIs as the Giants (41-26) swept three contests from Milwaukee earlier in the week to push their winning streak to five and improve to a season-best 15 games over .500.
Jeff Samardzija goes to the mound for San Francisco with an unimpressive 2-8 record and 5.46 ERA in interleague play, but can become the team’s third eight-game winner on Friday. Right-hander Chris Archer gets the start for the Rays, who have won nine of their last 12 contests despite a 6-4 loss to Seattle on Thursday. Tampa Bay’s red-hot third baseman Evan Longoria (seven homers, 14 RBIs his last 11 games) missed Thursday’s contest with left forearm tightness and is considered day-to-day. The game will be a sellout (approximately 40,000) for the Rays after they offered $5 tickets for any available seat Tuesday with all proceeds going to benefit the Pulse Victims Fund, which helps those affected by the mass shooting in Orlando on Sunday.
TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, CSN Bay Area (San Francisco), FSN Sun (Tampa Bay)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Giants RH Jeff Samardzija (7-4, 3.36 ERA) vs. Rays RH Chris Archer (4-8, 4.61)
Samardzija is winless in his last three starts and did not complete more than five innings in any of them after winning six of his previous seven. The 31-year-old Notre Dame product has yielded 20 earned runs in 22 2/3 innings over his last four interleague starts. Logan Morrison is 4-for-14 versus Samardzija, who has yet to record a decision with a 3.21 ERA in two career starts against Tampa Bay.
Archer continues to struggle finding his 2015 All-Star form as he has dropped four of the last five decisions after winning three in a row. The North Carolina native is just 1-4 at home, but owns a 2.33 ERA at Tropicana Field this season as opposed to 3-4 with a 6.75 mark on the road. Brandon Belt is 3-for-3 with a homer versus Archer, who lost his only outing against the Giants.
WALK-OFFS
1. Belt (ankle) sat out Wednesday’s contest, but could return to the lineup Friday while boasting an eight-game hitting streak.
2. Tampa Bay RF Steven Souza Jr. (left hip strain) was placed on the 15-day disabled list Thursday and RHP Ryan Garton was optioned to Triple-A Durham.
3. San Francisco 2B Joe Panik is 12-for-28 during a seven-game hitting streak, raising his average from .246 to .268 after notching three singles Wednesday.