Padres at Giants
Less than 13 hours after completing a marathon that ended after 11 innings, the San Diego Padres and San Francisco Giants resume their four-game series with a Saturday afternoon matchup at AT&T Park. Matt Szczur, Carlos Asuaje and Jose Pirela each recorded four hits in Friday’s 12-9 victory as the Padres continued their recent dominance in the all-time series.
Pirela extended his hitting streak to nine games while Hector Sanchez went 3-for-6 with a solo homer to lead the Padres, who have won 16 of their last 21 meetings with the Giants. Sanchez is 7-for-19 with four home runs and 10 RBIs against his former team this season and has proven to be a capable fill-in for Austin Hedges, who is out with concussion symptoms but hopes to return when eligible on Tuesday. The Giants have lost nine of their last 12 contests and figure to be active in the days leading up to the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline, with third baseman Eduardo Nunez among those expected to be moved. Nunez has bolstered his value in recent weeks, batting .333 with 15 extra-base hits, 20 RBIs and 10 stolen bases over his last 38 games.
TV: 4:05 p.m. ET, FSN San Diego, NBCSN Bay Area (San Francisco)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Padres RH Luis Perdomo (4-5, 4.94 ERA) vs. Giants LH Matt Moore (3-10, 5.81)
Perdomo had his three-game winning streak come to halt Monday after allowing seven runs - five earned - in 2 1/3 innings of a 9-6 loss at Colorado. “He clearly wasn’t his typical self. He didn’t have his normal sink, wasn’t locating really much of anything,” manager Andy Green told reporters. “He’ll get back to sinking the baseball and be ready to go.” The 24-year-old is 1-0 with a 4.50 ERA in six career games (four starts) against the Giants.
Moore is hoping to build on an encouraging outing against Cleveland on Monday, when he allowed four runs - two earned - over seven frames in a 5-3 loss. The 28-year-old became the first Giants starter to lose five straight home outings since Ryan Vogelsong in 2011. Moore, who is making his first career start against San Diego, has posted a 4.20 ERA in nine turns at home this season compared to a 7.61 mark in 10 road outings.
WALK-OFFS
1. Giants RHP George Kontos likely will be unavailable Saturday after pitching in four of the last five games.
2. The Padres’ bullpen is 4-1 with a 1.77 ERA in 33 1/3 innings against San Francisco this season.
3. The Giants are 8-45 this year when scoring fewer than four runs.