Giants at Pirates
The San Francisco Giants happen to play in a division with the three best teams in the National League, so digging itself out of a big hole from the first half of the season remains a long shot. Still, the surging Giants are beginning to look like a contender again and have a chance to earn their sixth straight win when they visit the Pittsburgh Pirates in the finale of a three-game series on Sunday.
San Francisco (32-51) spent most of the first three months toiling at the bottom of the NL West but is starting to win some close games and got 5 1/3 scoreless innings from the bullpen on Saturday in a 2-1, 11-inning triumph. Right-hander Sam Dyson is settling in and earned his first save with the Giants on Saturday while recording his seventh scoreless appearance in his last eight outings. The Pirates would like to get back into the race as well but are struggling to sustain any momentum and are losers of nine of their last 16. Pittsburgh will try to avoid the sweep behind Trevor Williams, who opposes San Francisco veteran Jeff Samardzija.
TV: 1:35 p.m. ET, NBCSN Bay Area (San Francisco), ROOT Pittsburgh
PITCHING MATCHUP: Giants RH Jeff Samardzija (3-9, 4.63 ERA) vs. Pirates RH Trevor Williams (3-3, 4.82)
Samardzija snapped a three-start winless streak by holding the Colorado Rockies to two runs on six hits over 6 1/3 innings on Monday. The Notre Dame product did not walk a batter in that start and has yielded a total of 13 free passes in 105 innings while striking out 117. Samardzija started twice against Pittsburgh last season and did not factor in the decision in either outing while allowing a total of nine runs in nine frames.
Williams was held out of the decision in each of his last four turns but is coming off a start against Tampa Bay on Tuesday in which he scattered two runs and six hits across seven innings. The 25-year-old matched a season high with seven strikeouts against the Rays. Williams is making his first career start against San Francisco and is 0-1 with a 4.79 ERA at home in 2017.
WALK-OFFS
1. Pirates CF Starling Marte is serving an 80-game suspension for a positive PED test but will begin a rehab assignment on Sunday in the minors and is eligible to rejoin the majors on July 18.
2. San Francisco CF Denard Span is 12-for-25 in his last five starts.
3. Pittsburgh 1B Josh Bell drove in the team's lone run on Saturday and recorded an RBI in each of the last four contests.