Giants at Padres
Life on the road has not been good to the San Francisco Giants, who have lost 13 of their last 16 games away from AT&T Park. The Giants look to get untracked Monday as they open a three-game series against the San Diego Padres, who are beginning an 11-game homestand.
After losing back-to-back one-run decisions to Arizona, the Giants were swept on Sunday when the Diamondbacks erupted for nine runs in the eighth inning and posted an 11-0 victory. Brandon Crawford, who was held out of the starting lineup due to mild hamstring tightness, saw his hitting streak end at 10 games after grounding out as a pinch-hitter in the eighth. The Padres were swept by Miami over the weekend and remain baffled by the play of Wil Myers, who went 0-for-4 in Sunday’s 6-2 loss and is batting .232 with 149 strikeouts. A key part of the team’s long-term rebuilding efforts, Myers has belted 24 home runs but struggled to regain his form from his All-Star 2016 season, when he hit .259 with 28 blasts and 98 RBIs.
TV: 10:10 p.m. ET, NBCSN Bay Area (San Francisco), FSN San Diego
PITCHING MATCHUP: Giants RH Jeff Samardzija (8-12, 4.67 ERA) vs. Padres RH Jhoulys Chacin (11-9, 4.10)
Samardzija turned in another solid outing but settled for a no-decision after giving up two runs - one earned - in six innings against Milwaukee on Tuesday. The 32-year-old was 4-11 with a 5.05 ERA through July 21 but has gone 4-1 with a 3.43 ERA in his last six starts. Hector Sanchez is 6-for-12 with three homers against Samardzija, who is 7-3 with a 4.02 ERA in 15 career starts versus San Diego - including an 0-1 mark and 7.27 ERA in three outings this season.
Chacin is looking to bounce back after hitting four batters and allowing five runs - four earned - in 4 2/3 innings of an 11-9 loss to St. Louis on Wednesday. The 29-year-old Venezuelan was dealing with swelling in his pitching hand following the outing but expects to be fine for Monday. Denard Span is 7-for-18 against Chacin, who is 7-2 with a 1.86 ERA at Petco Park this season and has gone 3-0 with a 3.04 ERA in four starts versus the Giants this year.
WALK-OFFS
1. Giants C Buster Posey and OF Hunter Pence were a combined 2-for-22 against Arizona over the weekend.
2. San Diego has gone 9-4 against San Francisco this season, including 4-2 at home.
3. San Francisco is 19-34 against the NL West and has dropped 12 of its last 15 divisional contests.