Giants at Reds
The Cincinnati Reds own the worst bullpen in the major leagues by a significant margin, and the futility of the relief corps is reaching historic levels. The San Francisco Giants will try to take advantage of the friendliness of the Cincinnati relievers for the third straight day when they visit the Reds in the series finale on Wednesday afternoon.
Cincinnati’s bullpen has allowed at least one run in each of its last 21 games – the longest such streak in major-league history. The Giants pounded the Reds bullpen for six runs in Monday’s 9-6 victory, overcoming a three-run deficit in the final three innings, and got to Caleb Cotham for two runs in the eighth inning on Tuesday in a 3-1 triumph. The latest win was the eighth in the last 11 games for the Giants, who improved to 3-2 on their six-game road trip after dropping the first two at the New York Mets over the weekend. Cincinnati dropped eight of its last nine and scored more than three runs in only two of those nine contests.
TV: 12:35 p.m. ET, MLB Network, CSN Bay Area (San Francisco)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Giants RH Jake Peavy (1-2, 8.61 ERA) vs. Reds RH Dan Straily (0-1, 3.38)
Peavy followed up his best start of the season on April 23 with his worst on Friday at the Mets, when he was rocked for six runs on four hits and five walks in two-plus innings. All six of those runs were scored in the third inning without the veteran managing to record an out. Peavy has never lost to Cincinnati in his career, posting a 7-0 record with a 2.38 ERA in 12 starts.
Straily began the year in the bullpen and logged his first quality start in his third chance on Friday at Pittsburgh, scattering two runs on five hits and three walks in six innings. The 27-year-old could not get enough run support and ended up with a loss in the 4-1 final. Staily faced San Francisco once as a member of the Oakland Athletics during interleague play and pulled out a win with one run allowed in six innings on May 27, 2013.
WALK-OFFS
1. Giants C Buster Posey doubled three times on Tuesday and is 7-for-12 with four runs scored in the last three games.
2. Cincinnati CF Billy Hamilton was removed from Tuesday’s game with a jammed left thumb and is day-to-day.
3. San Francisco RF Hunter Pence is 4-for-12 with four runs scored and four RBIs in the last three contests.